Designer drug 2,4,5‐trimethoxyamphetamine (TMA‐2): Studies on its metabolism and toxicological detection in rat urine using gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric techniques

Studies are described on the metabolism and the toxicological detection of the amphetamine‐derived designer drug 2,4,5‐trimethoxyamphetamine (TMA‐2) in rat urine using gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) techniques. The identified metabolites indicated that TMA‐2 was metabolized by oxidative deamination to the corresponding ketone followed by reduction to the corresponding alcohol, O ‐demethylation followed by oxidative deamination, and finally O , O ‐bis‐demethylation. All metabolites carrying hydroxy groups were found to be partly excreted in urine as glucuronides and/or sulfates. The authors' systematic toxicological analysis (STA) procedure using full‐scan GC/MS after acid hydrolysis, liquid‐liquid extraction, and microwave‐assisted acetylation allowed the detection, in rat urine, of an intake of TMA‐2 that corresponds to a common drug users' dose. Assuming similar metabolism, the described STA procedure in human urine should be suitable as proof of an intake of TMA‐2. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.