Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42319706›Full record

ArticleForensic toxicology2026

An Ultra-High performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of etomidate, analogues, and metabolites in human nail: Unveiling a unique accumulation profile.

Pinting Zhang, Kaiyu Wang, Xinyi Yan, Dan Zhang, Jiale Bai, Zixia Shao, Yihan Liu, Zhenjiang Liao, Yunde Tang, Hao Zeng and 6 more

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Article in Forensic toxicology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Pinting ZhangChina Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
Kaiyu WangChina Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
Xinyi YanChina Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
Dan ZhangChina Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
Jiale BaiChina Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
Zixia ShaoChina Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
Yihan LiuChina Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
Zhenjiang LiaoDepartment of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Yunde TangHunan Provincial Lituo Compulsory Isolation Drug Rehabilitation Center, Changsha, 410000, Hunan, China.
Hao ZengDrug Laboratory of Jiangxi Provincial Public Security Department Narcotics Control Division, Nanchang, 330103, Jiangxi Province, China.
Na JingDrug Laboratory of Jiangxi Provincial Public Security Department Narcotics Control Division, Nanchang, 330103, Jiangxi Province, China.
Qiuping HuangDepartment of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Hongxian ShenDepartment of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Bin DiChina Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China. dibin@cpu.edu.cn.
Fang YanChina Pharmaceutical University School of Pharmacy, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China. 1020081879@cpu.edu.cn.
Tao LuState Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Laboratory of Molecular Design and Drug Discovery, School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2023YFC3304203
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIn response to the increasing abuse of etomidate-related substances in China, this study developed and validated an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of etomidate (ET), metomidate (MET), propoxate (PRO), isopropoxate (I-PRO), CF

methodsA 20 mg portion of nail was cryogenically ground and extracted with methanol containing the internal standard. After vortex mixing, ultrasonication, and filtration, the extract was concentrated under nitrogen flow and analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

resultsThe limits of quantification (LOQs) for the target substances in nail samples ranged from 1 to 10 pg/mg. The calibration curves exhibited good linearity over the concentration range from the LOQ to 1000 pg/mg. All other evaluated validation parameters proved satisfactory. The validated method was applied to authentic nail samples to investigate the accumulation profiles of ET and its analogs. Analysis of the samples revealed that 52 tested positive. These positive cases showed a distinct accumulation pattern dominated by the parent drugs, with ETA as the sole metabolite detected.

conclusionThis study developed and validated a reliable method for the simultaneous quantification of ET, its analogues, and its metabolite in human nails. Notably, it is the first to be applied to authentic samples to investigate their accumulation profiles, supporting the use of nail analysis in forensic toxicology and drug abuse monitoring.

Indexed as

Drug accumulationEtomidateEtomidate acidEtomidate analoguesNailUltra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Identifiers

PMID42319706

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