Simple and Rapid Screening for Psychotropic Natural Products Using Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART)-TOFMS

A rapid screening method using Direct Analysis in Real Time time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DART-TOFMS) was developed to identify psychotropic compounds in plant products of abuse in Japan without sample preparation. Among 36 products, protonated molecular ions corresponding to six hallucinogenic constituents—mescaline, salvinorin A, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, harmine, harmaline, and lysergamide—were detected in 21 products, with contents ranging from 0.05 to 45 micrograms per milligram. Results matched those from liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Controlled narcotics such as tetrahydrocannabinol, opioid alkaloids, and psilocin were also directly detected in marijuana, opium gum, and magic mushrooms. DART-TOFMS offers a simple, rapid screening tool for targeted psychotropic natural products, though matrix effects from other plant ingredients remain difficult to estimate.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) is a novel ionization technique that provides for the rapid ionization of small molecules under ambient conditions. To investigate the trend of non-controlled psychotropic plants of abuse in Japan, a rapid screening method, without sample preparation, was developed using DART-time of flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) for plant products. The major psychotropic constituents of these products were determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). As a result of the DART-TOFMS analyses of 36 products, the protonated molecular ions [M+H](+), corresponding to 6 kinds of major hallucinogenic constituents (mescaline, salvinorin A, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, harmine, harmaline and lysergamide), were detected in 21 products. It was possible to estimate their accurate elemental compositions through exact mass measurements. These results were consistent with those of the LC/MS analyses and the contents of the 6 psychotropic constituents were in the range from 0.05 to 45 microg/mg. Typical controlled narcotic drugs, tetrahydrocannabinol, opioid alkaloids and psilocin were also directly detected in marijuana cigarette, opium gum and magic mushroom respectively. Although it is difficult to estimate the matrix effects caused by other plant ingredients, the DART-TOFMS could be useful as a simple and rapid screening method for the targeted psychotropic natural products, because it provides the molecular information of the target compounds without time-consuming extraction and pre-treatment steps.