Chiral Resolution and Absolute Configuration of the Enantiomers of the Psychoactive “Designer Drug” 3,4‐Methylenedioxypyrovalerone

Illicit rac‐MDPV (3,4‐methylenedioxypyrovalerone), manufactured in clandestine labs, has become widely abused for its cocaine‐like stimulant properties. It has recently been found as one of the toxic materials in the so‐called “bath salts,” producing, among other effects, psychosis and tachycardia in humans when introduced by any of the several routes of administration (e.g., intravenous, oral, etc.). The considerable toxicity of this “designer drug” probably resides in one of the enantiomers of the racemate. In order to obtain a sufficient amount of the enantiomers of rac‐MDPV to determine their activity, we improved the known synthesis of rac‐MDPV and found chemical resolving agents, (+)‐ and (–)‐2’‐bromotetranilic acid, that gave the MDPV enantiomers in >96% enantiomeric excess as determined by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and chiral high‐performance liquid chromatography. The absolute stereochemistry of these enantiomers was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies. Chirality 27:287‐293, 2015. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Behavioral pharmacology of designer cathinones: A review of the preclinical literature

“Bath salts” is one street name for a family of synthetic cathinones that display pharmacological effects resembling cocaine and commonly abused amphetamines. Despite extensive legislation aimed at the criminalization of bath salts, several designer cathinones are gaining a foothold in the illicit drug scene; for example, in the United Kingdom, mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone, MEPH) is highly popular among drug abusers whereas, in the United States, MDPV (methylenedioxypyrovalerone) and methylone are highly prevalent. To date, knowledge about the hazards of designer cathinones is based mostly on hospital reports and anecdotal evidence derived from online surveys. Despite the paucity of preclinical studies directed toward designer cathinones, a number of invaluable findings arising from those studies are enabling scientists to develop their neuropharmacological profiles. Despite their commonalities in chemical structures, synthetic cathinones possess distinct neuropharmacological profiles and produce different behavioral effects, including unique effects on locomotor activity, learning, anxiety, thermoregulation, and abuse liability. The present review will discuss the behavioral effects of MEPH, MDPV, and methylone and compare those effects to established psychostimulant drugs. The rise in the use of designer cathinones in the United States and abroad justifies further investigations into these compounds, both for a greater understanding of the danger that “bath salts” pose to the public, and to provide insight into replacement cathinones as they emerge onto the market.     

雏番鸭细小病毒vp3基因的原核表达及增殖病毒的检测

近年来,番鸭细小病毒出现新的流行趋势,估计与病毒基因变异有关,因此针对新流行毒株研发新的检测方法很有必要。本研究根据番鸭细小病毒(MDPV)2012年分离株SAAS-SHNH的全基因序列,设计了一对特异性引物,利用PCR技术扩增全长vp3基因,经鉴定正确后,进行同源性比对分析,同时将其克隆到PET28a载体,构建成PET28a-VP3原核表达载体,经转化及IPTG诱导后,SDS-PAGE电泳和Western blotting分析,表达出与预期大小相符的63.1 k Da的蛋白,该蛋白可与临床采集的免疫过MDPV的番鸭血清结合,说明该蛋白可用于MDPV的血清学检测。将纯化后蛋白免疫新西兰大白兔,制备兔源MDPV-VP3蛋白的多克隆抗体,制备的兔源血清能够与MDPV疫苗弱毒株及J3D6株VP3蛋白发生特异结合;MDPV感染原代鸭胚成纤维细胞(DEF)后,利用兔源血清作为一抗进行免疫荧光分析(IFA)分析,在DEF细胞核和细胞质内均能检测到VP3蛋白,表明利用VP3蛋白制备的抗血清可以用于MDPV免疫荧光分析细胞增殖病毒的检测。这为今后MDPV的快速检测提供了技术基础。     

Synthetic cathinones: Chemical phylogeny,physiology, and neuropharmacology

This mini-review summarizes the history of cathinone and its synthesized derivatives from early records to the present day, including the appearance of synthetic cathinones in the drug combination known as bath salts. Bath salts may consist of one compound (MDPV) or combinations of MDPV and one or more other synthetic cathinones, which may also appear alone without MDPV. We briefly review recent in vitro studies of bath salts components alone or in combination, focusing on pharmacological and biophysical studies. Finally we summarize new data from in vivo procedures that characterize the abuse-related neurochemical and behavioral effects of synthetic cathinones in rats.     

Bath salts and synthetic cathinones: An emerging designer drug phenomenon

Synthetic cathinones are an emerging class of designer drugs abused for psychostimulant and hallucinogenic effects similar to cocaine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), or other amphetamines. Abuse of synthetic cathinones, frequently included in products sold as ‘bath salts’, became prevalent in early 2009, leading to legislative classification throughout Europe in 2010 and schedule I classification within the United States in 2011. Recent pre-clinical and clinical studies indicate that dysregulation of central monoamine systems is a principal mechanism of synthetic cathinone action and presumably underlie the behavioral effects and abuse liability associated with these drugs. This review provides insight into the development of synthetic cathinones as substances of abuse, current patterns of their abuse, known mechanisms of their action and toxicology, and the benefits and drawbacks of their classification.