Monitoring Metabolism Of Synthetic Cannabinoid 4F-MDMB-BINACA Via High-resolution Mass Spectrometry Assessed In Cultured Hepatoma Cell Line, Fungus, Liver Microsomes And Confirmed Using Urine Samples Forensic Toxicology Springer Nature Link

Inclusion in an NLM database does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the contents by NLM or the National Institutes of Health. It is illegal to sell, distribute, supply, transport or trade the pharmaceutical drug under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. The corresponding indole core analogue, 4F-MDMB-BICA (4F-MDMB-BUTICA), has also been widely sold as a designer drug by chemical providers on the internet, first being identified in May 2020. It has been used as an active ingredient in synthetic cannabis products and sold as a designer drug since late 2018. 4F-MDMB-BINACA (also known as MDMB-4F-BINACA using systematic EMCDDA nomenclature or 4F-MDMB-BUTINACA) is an indazole-based synthetic cannabinoid from the indazole-3-carboxamide family.
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In the present study, we performed various methods based on animal behavioral testing including FOB test for general behavioral observation, rotarod test, locomotor activity test for motor function evaluation, and water-maze test for learning/memory evaluation. Known for its stability and consistent composition, this compound is frequently utilized by professionals seeking reliable materials for laboratory-based analytical studies. In this study, histopathological evaluation was performed to confirm the possibility of neurotoxicity of the tested substances by hematoxylin and eosin staining method from collected brain samples. In the present study, we evaluated the neurotoxicity of two synthetic cannabinoids (JWH-081 and JWH-210) through observation of various behavioral changes and analysis of histopathological changes using experimental mice with various doses (0.1, 1, 5 mg/kg). Selecting powder JWH-210 demands careful evaluation of purity, legality, and supplier credibility. Prices for research-grade JWH-210 vary significantly based on quantity, purity, and vendor complianc

While the patient's symptoms strongly suggest the inhalation of ADB-BUTINACA, it is worth considering that these symptoms could also be attributed to nicotine exposure, as the symptoms partially overlap with known nicotine effect


LC-QTOF-MS represents a significant advancement in the field of drug detection, offering higher sensitivity, specificity, and a broader spectrum of detectable substances. Despite all negative results in the point-of-care test for recreational drugs, the liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) analysis showed that the liquid of the e-cigarette contained ADB-BUTINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid. We report a 27-year-old man who was admitted to the emergency room because of sudden 5CL ADBA powder headache, nausea, vertigo, red eyes and palpitations. Synthetic cannabinoids are gaining popularity globally and detection is not commonly available.
Data availability
When clinical presentation and/or initial DOA testing results are inconclusive, additional testing with LC-QTOF-MS can be valuable and is recommended. SCRAs and other NPS may not be detected by point-of-care DOA tests. In this case, the point-of-care DOA urine screening was not able to detect the synthetic cannabinoid ADB-BUTINAC


LC separates the urine or blood sample and QTOF-MS provides high-resolution and accurate mass measurements for precise identification and structural elucidation of compounds. The LC-QTOF-MS method offers a more comprehensive and sensitive approach for drug detection, covering hundreds of recreational drugs, including NPS. Besides increasing the temperature to enlarge the drug aerolisation and bioavailability, one can elevate the flow rate of air through the e-cigarette and/or add a diluent . Of all e-cigarette users registered at this forum, 7.8 % vaped SCRAs . About 15 % of individuals registered at forums for drug users such as erowid.org who vaped cannabis have also vaped SRCAs. SCRAs belong, together with synthetic opioids, cathinones, amphetamines and hallucinogens to the new psychoactive substances (NPS) that are currently developed at high speed.
Data availabili


Due to the unknown toxicity of newly emerging SCRAs, forensic assessments of cases involving these substances are challenging. According to the reported cases and reviews of the scientific literature, concurrent ethanol consumption should amplify the toxicity of SCRAs. The concentration of 4F-MDMB-BINACA in the postmortem blood was 2.50 and 2.34 ng/mL, and blood alcohol concentration was 2.11 and 2.49 g/L, respectively. Two fatal cases are reported caused by simultaneous consumption of 4F-MDMB-BINACA and ethanol.
Fig. 2.
4F-MDMB-BINACA was hydrolysed via ester hydrolysis forming the 4F-MDMB-BINACA ester hydrolysis metabolite (B22). Data obtained from the twenty urine samples were retrospectively analysed and processed using TraceFinder software based on the identification criteria of mass errors less than ± 5 ppm for full MS peaks and MS/MS peaks from the theoretical mass and matching of MS/MS spectra. The mixture was vortex-mixed and 500 µL of this mixture and 500 µL of methanol were loaded onto the Clean Screen FASt® tube. After incubation, the mixture was cooled at room temperature, and 150 µL of purified water was added. High-resolution QTOF-MS data were acquired on an Agilent 6510 Accurate Mass QTOF mass spectrometer (Agilent Technologies) equipped with dual electrospray ionization (ESI) source operated in both positive and negative ion modes, to determine accurate masses of the metabolites. Chromatographic separation was performed on an Agilent 1290 LC system with a Poroshell 120 EC-C18 analytical column (2.7 μm, 75 × 2.1 mm; Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, USA).
Fig. 1.
Monitoring metabolism of synthetic cannabinoid 4F-MDMB-BINACA via high-resolution mass spectrometry assessed in cultured hepatoma cell line, fungus, 5CL ADBA powder liver microsomes and confirmed using urine samples The threshold for fatal overdose of combined use of SCRAs and ethanol can be estimated as a little ng/mL (0.37–4.1 ng/mL according to the reported cases) of SCRA and 1.5–2.5 g/L of ethanol. The reported cases and reviews of the scientific literature suggest a possible synergistic effect between SCRAs and ethanol, because their combined use clearly increases their toxicity. The victim died due to severe necrotizing pancreatitis and acute kidney injury evolving into multi-organ failure 11 days after hospital admission . Studies have found no unequivocal synergistic effect between THC and ethanol at low or moderate ethanol doses [29, 30], but no data on high doses of ethanol are available. Given that THC and ethanol act on the same receptors, data on their simultaneous use may yield important insights in this regard.
Fungus C. elegans
Methyl (2S)-2-([1-(4-fluorobutyl)-1H-indazole-3-carbonyl]amino)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (4F-MDMB-BINACA, 4F-MDMB-BUTINACA or 4F-ADB), found in numerous SCB product seizures, has been reported by various law enforcement since 2018 . However, most of the SCBs are full agonists at CB1 and CB2 receptors, having a higher risk of undesirable side effects when compared to THC which is a partial agonist . Synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs) are agonists at cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2), where they elicit their main effect