STUDIES ON THE METABOLISM AND TOXICOLOGICAL DETECTION OF THE AMPHETAMINE-LIKE ANORECTIC MEFENOREX IN HUMAN URINE BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY AND FLUORESCENCE POLARIZATION IMMUNOASSAY

Studies on the metabolism and on the toxicological analysis of mefenor ex R,S-N-(3-chloropropyl)-alpha-methylphenethylamine, MF] using gas ch romatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and fluorescence polarization i mmunoassay (FPIA) are described. The metabolites were identified in ur ine samples of volunteers by GC-MS. Besides MF, thirteen metabolites i ncluding amphetamine (AM) could be identified and three partially over lapping metabolic pathways could be postulated. For GC-MS detection, t he systematic toxicological analysis procedure including acid hydrolys is, extraction at pH 8-9 and acetylation was suitable (detection limit s 50 ng/ml for MF and 100 ng/ml for AM). Excretion studies showed, tha t only AM but neither MF nor its specific metabolites were detectable between 32 and 68 h after ingestion of 80 mg of MF. Therefore, misinte rpretation can occur. The Abbott TDx FPIA amphetamine/methamphetamine II gave positive results up to 68 h. All the positive immunoassay resu lts could be confirmed by the described GC-MS procedure. (C) 1997 Else vier Science B.V.