Distribution of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) in Postmortem and Antemortem Specimens

Forensic toxicologists established protocols to detect MDMA (ecstasy) and its metabolite MDA in hair, urine, and postmortem specimens using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In 20 fatal cases, MDMA and MDA were measured in heart blood, gastric content, urine, and bile. Additional data came from 25 antemortem urine and 6 hair specimens. The MDA/MDMA ratio in hair was consistent and appeared higher than in other specimens, but the MDMA/MDA ratio in hair did not differ significantly from ratios in urine or blood, similar to patterns seen with cocaine/benzoylecgonine and THC/THC-acid.

Study at a glance

Abstract

With increasing requests for the analysis of various specimens related to fatal and non-fatal abuse of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy, MDMA), the toxicology laboratory of the Institute of Forensic Medicine has established protocols for the analysis of MDMA and related compounds in hair, urine, and various postmortem specimens. Analytical protocols include extraction, derivatization, and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis adapting deuterated analogs of the analytes as internal standards. Data resulting from these analyses and hereby reported include postmortem distribution of MDMA and methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) in heart blood, gastric content, urine, and bile specimens from 20 fatal cases; other drugs found in the heart blood from these 20 cases; and the distribution of MDMA and MDA in 25 antemortem urine and 6 hair specimens. The MDA/MDMA concentration ratio observed in a limited number of hair specimens (n=6) are consistent and appear to be higher than those found in other specimens. Compared to other commonly abused drugs (e.g., cocaine and heroin), the "drug/metabolite" concentration ratio (MDMA/MDA) in hair is not significantly different from the ratios derived from other specimens, such as urine and blood. This observation is consistent with the relative drug/metabolite incorporation rates reported for cocaine/benzoylecgonine, tetrahydrocannabinol/tetrahydrocannabinoic acid, and MDMA/MDA.