Pentylindole/Pentylindazole Synthetic Cannabinoids and Their 5-Fluoro Analogs Produce Different Primary Metabolites: Metabolite Profiling for AB-PINACA and 5F-AB-PINACA

AAPS J. 2015 May;17(3):660-77. doi: 10.1208/s12248-015-9721-0. Epub 2015 Feb 28.

Abstract

Whereas non-fluoropentylindole/indazole synthetic cannabinoids appear to be metabolized preferably at the pentyl chain though without clear preference for one specific position, their 5-fluoro analogs' major metabolites usually are 5-hydroxypentyl and pentanoic acid metabolites. We determined metabolic stability and metabolites of N-(1-amino-3-methyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-pentyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (AB-PINACA) and 5-fluoro-AB-PINACA (5F-AB-PINACA), two new synthetic cannabinoids, and investigated if results were similar. In silico prediction was performed with MetaSite (Molecular Discovery). For metabolic stability, 1 μmol/L of each compound was incubated with human liver microsomes for up to 1 h, and for metabolite profiling, 10 μmol/L was incubated with pooled human hepatocytes for up to 3 h. Also, authentic urine specimens from AB-PINACA cases were hydrolyzed and extracted. All samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry on a TripleTOF 5600+ (AB SCIEX) with gradient elution (0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile). High-resolution full-scan mass spectrometry (MS) and information-dependent acquisition MS/MS data were analyzed with MetabolitePilot (AB SCIEX) using different data processing algorithms. Both drugs had intermediate clearance. We identified 23 AB-PINACA metabolites, generated by carboxamide hydrolysis, hydroxylation, ketone formation, carboxylation, epoxide formation with subsequent hydrolysis, or reaction combinations. We identified 18 5F-AB-PINACA metabolites, generated by the same biotransformations and oxidative defluorination producing 5-hydroxypentyl and pentanoic acid metabolites shared with AB-PINACA. Authentic urine specimens documented presence of these metabolites. AB-PINACA and 5F-AB-PINACA produced suggested metabolite patterns. AB-PINACA was predominantly hydrolyzed to AB-PINACA carboxylic acid, carbonyl-AB-PINACA, and hydroxypentyl AB-PINACA, likely in 4-position. The most intense 5F-AB-PINACA metabolites were AB-PINACA pentanoic acid and 5-hydroxypentyl-AB-PINACA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods
  • Computer Simulation
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Indazoles / metabolism*
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism*
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Time Factors
  • Valine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Valine / metabolism

Substances

  • Indazoles
  • N-(1-amino-3-methyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-pentyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide
  • N-(1-amino-3-methyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide
  • Valine