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Kamata HT, Shima N, Zaitsu K, Kamata T, Miki A, Nishikawa M, Katagi M, Tsuchihashi H.
“Metabolism of the recently encountered designer drug, methylone, in humans and rats”.
Xenobiotica. 2006 Aug 07;36(8):709-23.
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Abstract
The urinary metabolites of methylone in humans and rats were investigated by analysing urine specimens from its abuser and after administrating to rats with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry GC-MS and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry LC-ESI MS, using authentic standards. The time-course excretion profiles of methylone and its three metabolites in rats were further investigated after a single intraperitoneal dosing of 5 mg kg-1 methylone hydrochloride. Two major metabolic pathways were revealed for both humans and rats as follows: 1 side-chain degradation by N-demethylation to the corresponding primary amine methylenedioxycathinone MDC, partly conjugated and 2 demethylenation followed by O-methylation of either a 3- or 4-OH group on the benzene ring to produce 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethcathinone HMMC or 3-hydroxy-4-methoxymethcathinone 3-OH-4-MeO-MC, respectively, mostly conjugated. Of these metabolites, HMMC was the most abundant in humans and rats. The cumulative amount of urinary HMMC excreted within the first 48 h in rats was approximately 26 of the dose, and the amount of the parent methylone was not more than 3. These results demonstrate that the analysis of HMMC will be indispensable for proof of the use of methylone in forensic urinalysis.
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