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Chemical analysis of a benzofuran derivative, 2-(2-ethylaminopropyl)benzofuran (2-EAPB), eight synthetic cannabinoids, five cathinone derivatives, and five other designer drugs newly detected in illegal products

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Abstract

From November 2013 to May 2014, 19 newly distributed designer drugs were identified in 104 products in our ongoing survey of illegal products in Japan. The identified compounds included 8 synthetic cannabinoids, FUB-PB-22 (1), 5-fluoro-NNEI indazole analog (5-fluoro-MN-18, 2), AM-2201 indazole analog (THJ-2201, 3), XLR-12 (4), 5-fluoro-AB-PINACA (5), 5-chloro-AB-PINACA (6), AB-CHMINACA (7), and 5-fluoro-AMB (8); 5 cathinone derivatives, DL-4662 (9), α-PHP (10), 4-methoxy-α-POP (11), 4-methoxy-α-PHPP (12), and 4-fluoro-α-PHPP (13); and 6 other substances, namely, the benzofuran derivative 2-(2-ethylaminopropyl)benzofuran (2-EAPB, 14), nitracaine (15), diclofensine (16), diphenidine (17), 1-benzylpiperidine (18), and acetylfentanyl (19). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the chemical properties of compounds 9–11 and 14. A total of 33 designer drugs, including compounds 1–19, were detected in the 104 illegal products, in 60 different combination patterns. The numbers of detected compounds per product ranged from 1 to 7. In addition, several products contained three different types of compounds, such as synthetic cannabinoids, cathinone derivatives, and phenethylamine derivatives per product. It is apparent that the types of compounds emerging as illegal products are becoming more diverse, as are their combinations.

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Acknowledgments

Part of this work was supported by a Health and Labor Sciences Research Grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and Narcotics, National Institute of Health Sciences, 1-18-1 Kamiyoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 158-8501, Japan

    Nahoko Uchiyama, Yoshihiko Shimokawa, Maiko Kawamura, Ruri Kikura-Hanajiri & Takashi Hakamatsuka

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  1. Nahoko Uchiyama
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  2. Yoshihiko Shimokawa
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  3. Maiko Kawamura
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  4. Ruri Kikura-Hanajiri
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  5. Takashi Hakamatsuka
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Correspondence to Nahoko Uchiyama.

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Uchiyama, N., Shimokawa, Y., Kawamura, M. et al. Chemical analysis of a benzofuran derivative, 2-(2-ethylaminopropyl)benzofuran (2-EAPB), eight synthetic cannabinoids, five cathinone derivatives, and five other designer drugs newly detected in illegal products. Forensic Toxicol 32, 266–281 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-014-0238-5

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