Piperazine-like compounds: a new group of designer drugs-of-abuse on the European market

1-Aryl-piperazine compounds are, depending on their substituents, selective for certain serotonin receptors and together with their easy availability and their so-called legal status, this group of psychoactive compounds are potential designer drugs-of-abuse. Internet in that respect is an important source of information and distribution facilities. Because this developmen t may have consequences for the interpretation of future clinical and foren sic toxicological case studies, some analytical aspects of 1-benzyl-piperaz ine (BZP), 1-[4-methoxyphenyl]-piperazine (pMeOPP) and 1-[3-trifluoromethyl phenyl]-piperazine (TFMPP) were studied. BZP was not detected by the AxSYM( R) FPIA technology designed to determine amphetamine-like compounds, but ha d showed some cross reactivity with EMIT(R) d.a.u.(R). The cross reactiviti es at 300 and 12,000 ng/ml (RS)-amphetamine equivalents were 0.4 and 1.3%, respectively. Although BZP was riot identified directly by the REMEDi(TM) H S Drug Profiling System, it can be detected by this HPLC/UV scanning system . Using GC/NPD without derivatisation, BZP, pMeOPP and TFMPP can be analyse d for and applying GC/MS without or with acetylation or trifluoroacetylatio n, these compounds can be identified unambiguously. The usefulness of GC/NP D and GC/MS in this respect was demonstrated by the quantitative and qualit ative analysis of the content of a capsule with the synthetic stimulant A2, which proved to contain 86.4 mg of BZP. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.