Analytical and Toxicological Characterization of Synthetic Narcotic Exposure

Abstract

Background: There is a steady increase in the number of patients admitted with acute and chronic poisoning from narcotic drugs and psychoactive substances globally.The dynamic modification of synthetic psychoactive substances poses significant challenges for timely diagnosis and forensic chemical analysis in cases of acute intoxication.

Methods: Whole blood, plasma, and urine samples from individuals with suspected poisoning by designer psychoactive compounds were analyzed. A combination of tandem chromatography–mass spectrometry, gas chromatography with mass-selective detection, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry was employed. Extraction conditions (solid-phase and liquid–liquid) were optimized, and characteristic target ions and mass spectrometric profiles of native compounds and their biotransformation products were established.

Results: Key metabolic pathways of synthetic cathinones, cathinone-like structures, and novel synthetic opioids were identified, enabling the determination of diagnostically significant markers of poisoning. The systematization of mass spectrometric data and metabolic spectra substantially improved the reliability of toxicological analysis.

Conclusion: Analytical and toxicological characterization of exposure markers enhances the accuracy of chemical-toxicological identification in acute intoxication and forensic practice. The findings support the optimization of screening protocols for biological specimens in emergency and expert settings.