Analysis of Newly Distributed Designer Drugs Detected in the Products Purchased in Fiscal Year 2008
Nahoko Uchiyama, Norimasa Miyazawa, Maiko Kawamura, Ruri Kikura‐hanajiri, Yukihiro Goda
YAKUGAKU ZASSHI February 1, 2010 DOI: 10.1248/yakushi.130.263 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractBy July 2009, Japan had designated 40 psychoactive substances (including 12 tryptamines, 17 phenethylamines, 3 piperazines, 6 alkyl nitrites, 1 diterpene, and 1 plant) as controlled substances under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law to prevent abuse. Despite these controls, new designer drugs continue to appear in the illegal market. Analysis of two products purchased in Japan between October 2008 and February 2009 identified four compounds: three phenethylamine derivatives—N-Me-2-FMP, ALEPH-4, and DON—and one tryptamine derivative, 5-MeO-EPT. N-Me-2-FMP and 5-MeO-EPT were newly identified, while ALEPH-4 and DON were found as novel illegal drugs in Japan.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Chemical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Two products purchased from the illegal drug market in Japan |
| Keywords | Designer drug Phenethylamines Tryptamines Amine gas treating Drugs of abuse |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key finding | Four new designer drugs—N-Me-2-FMP, ALEPH-4, DON, and 5-MeO-EPT—were detected in products from the Japanese illegal drug market, with two of them newly identified. |
Abstract
Thirty-two psychotropic substances were listed as designated substances (Shitei-Yakubutsu, 31 compounds and 1 plant) in Japan by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law in April 2007 for preventing the abuse of these substances. Subsequently, other psychoactive compounds were also added to this category, 40 substances (classified as 12 tryptamines, 17 phenethylamines, 3 piperazines, 6 alkyl nitrites, 1 diterpene and 1 plant) are controlled as designated substances as of July 2009. However, new designer drugs are still distributed in illegal drug market according to the results of our annual survey. This study presents the analysis of four newly distributed designer drugs detected from two products, which were purchased from October 2008 to February 2009 in Japan. As the results of NMR, GC-MS and LC-MS analyses, three phenethylamine derivertives, 1-(2-fluorophenyl)-N-methylpropan-2-amine (N-Me-2-FMP), 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-isopropylsulfanylphenyl)propan-2-amine (ALEPH-4) and 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-nitrophenyl)propan-2-amine (DON) and a tryptamine derivative, N-ethyl-5-methoxy-N-propyltryptamine (5-MeO-EPT), were detected. N-Me-2-FMP and 5-MeO-EPT were newly identified in this study. Additionally, ALEPH-4 and DON were found as novel illegal drugs distributed in Japan.