Determination of potentially hallucinogenic N-dimethylated indoleamines inhuman urine by HPLC/ESI-MS-MS

A new method for the determination of N,N-dimethyl-5-hydroxytryptamine (buf otenine), N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT)*, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine ( 5-MeODMT), and N-methyltryptamine (NMT) was developed using highperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Identification of the a nalytes is based on liquid chromatographic retention times of analytes and two fragment ions produced by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Quanti fication is based on electrospray ionization (ESI), and multiple reaction m onitoring (MRM) was also utilized for getting better selectivity. The analy tes and internal standard were separated from the urine matrix by solid-pha se extraction (SPE). The method was applied for the determination of these compounds in urine samples of patients from surgical. medical and psychiatr ic wards. Of the dimethylated amines, only bufotenine was found in signific ant amounts (up to 34 mug/L). In keeping with our earlier results. the bufo tenine excretion of psychiatric patients was found to be higher than that o f the somatic patients. Method, procedure, considerations, statistical eval uations and urine sample spectra are presented.