Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30705707›Full record

ArticleForensic toxicology2019

Toxic by design? Formation of thermal degradants and cyanide from carboxamide-type synthetic cannabinoids CUMYL-PICA, 5F-CUMYL-PICA, AMB-FUBINACA, MDMB-FUBINACA, NNEI, and MN-18 during exposure to high temperatures.

Richard C Kevin, Alexander L Kovach, Timothy W Lefever, Thomas F Gamage, Jenny L Wiley, Iain S McGregor, Brian F Thomas

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Forensic toxicology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. The Spicy Story of Cannabimimetic Indoles.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021
    Review
  6. Review
  7. Interpol review of controlled substances 2016-2019.Forensic science international. Synergy · 2020
    Review
  8. Synthetic Cannabinoid Hydroxypentyl Metabolites Retain Efficacy at Human Cannabinoid Receptors.The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics · 2019
    Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Richard C KevinSchool of Psychology, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Alexander L KovachRTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
Timothy W LefeverRTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
Thomas F GamageRTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
Jenny L WileyRTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
Iain S McGregorSchool of Psychology, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Brian F ThomasRTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.

Funding

THC RECEPTORSR01DA003672 · NIDA · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · PI WILEY, JENNY L. · 1985 to 2018
$4.9M
Investigation of Synthetic Cannabinoid Exposures and Pharmacological ConsequencesR01DA040460 · NIDA · RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE · PI RANGAN MAITRA, Yanan Zhang · 2016 to 2026
$4.5M
THC RECEPTORSR37DA003672 · NIDA · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · PI MARTIN, BILLY R · 1997 to 2006
$2.8M
NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA003672NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA040460NIDA NIH HHS R37 DA003672
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe use of novel synthetic cannabinoids as intoxicants continues in spite of associated health risks. These compounds are typically smoked or vaporized, but many synthetic cannabinoids contain thermally labile chemical moieties. This study investigated the thermal stability six carboxamide-type synthetic cannabinoids (CUMYL-PICA, 5F-CUMYL-PICA, AMB-FUBINACA, MDMB-FUBINACA, NNEI, and MN-18) in order to characterise potential user exposure to thermolysis products.

methodsCompounds were heated sequentially to 200, 400, 600 and 800 °C using a thermolysis probe, and the resultant thermolysis products were analysed via GC-MS. A secondary analysis quantified thermolytically generated cyanide via LC-MS/MS.

resultsAll six synthetic cannabinoids underwent thermal degradation when heated above 400 °C, and released a variety of potentially toxic products, including toluene, naphthalene, and 1-naphthalamine. Compound-specific degradants were tentatively identified together with a general degradative pathway for carboxamide-type synthetic cannabinoids, which proceeds via indole- or indazole-amide formation and subsequent dehydration to an indole- or indazole-carbonitrile. This degradative pathway culminated in the thermolytic liberation of cyanide, in amounts up to 27 μg per mg of starting material.

conclusionsPeople who smoke carboxamide-type synthetic cannabinoids are likely to be exposed to range of potentially toxic thermal degradants, including cyanide. These degradants could have significant health impacts in human users.

Indexed as

CarboxamidesCyanideDegradantsSynthetic cannabinoidsThermolytic productsToxicity

Identifiers

PMID30705707
PMCPMC6349387

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.