GC-MS Identification and Quantification of the Synthetic Cannabinoid MDMB-4en- PINACA in Cannabis-derived Material Seized in the Turin Metropolitan Area (Italy).
The presence of the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist MDMB-4en-PINACA in adulterated low-THC cannabis products was recently highlighted in several reports. Moreover, numerous intoxication cases involving MDMB-4en-PINACA have been described. In order to monitor the diffusion of cannabis products containing MDMB-4en-PINACA in our territory, a total of 358 cannabis-derived samples (213 vegetal material and 145 resins) seized in the period November 2020 - February 2021 in the western Piedmont Area (Italy) was analyzed. General screening analyses for traditional and synthetic cannabinoids were performed by a GC-MS device operating in full scan mode (40-600 amu). The MDMB-4en-PINACA was quantified by means of a specific GC-SIM-MS protocol purposely developed and validated, while the quantification of THC, CBD, and CBN was carried out by a GC-SIM-MS method routinely employed in our laboratory. MDMB-4en-PINACA was detected in 12 out of 358 samples (3.4% of the total). Among these, the molecule was found in 11 vegetal materials and in one resin sample. Considering solely the analysis of the 213 herb products, a positive rate of 5.2% was found for the presence of MDMB-4en-PINACA in these samples. MDMB-4en-PINACA was found in the seized materials at concentration levels ranging from 0.4 up to 6.3 mgg (mean 2.5 mgg median 1.7 mgg). Concerning the traditional cannabinoids, the THC concentration was in the interval 3-43 mgg (mean 12 mgg median 7 mgg), while CBD was found at higher concentrations in all specimens, specifically in the range 47-140 mgg (mean 87 mgg median 80 mgg). The adulteration of low-THC cannabis products with synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists is widespread today. Since these substances are potentially more toxic than THC, their consumption poses a high risk of overdose for unaware users and a health-threatening situation. This study confirmed the sporadic presence on the market of CBD-prevalent cannabis products adulterated with MDMB-4en-PINACA.