Next Article in Journal
Is the Greener Approach Better? Application of Electrochemistry in the Synthesis of Perylenediimides
Previous Article in Journal
Development of LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS Methods for the Detection of Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) and Ethyl Palmitate (EtPa) in Hair
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Molecules
Volume 30
Issue 13
10.3390/molecules30132682
molecules-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Systematic Characterization of In Vitro and In Vivo Metabolic Pathways and Identification of Novel Biomarkers of 26 Synthetic Cannabinoids

by
Yudie Ning
1,2,3,
Tao Wang
1,2,3,
Xiao Yang
1,2,3,
Fang Guo
1,2,3,
Yingwen Xu
1,2,3,
Yuan Zhang
1,2,3,
Kaile Wang
1,2,3,
Meng Hu
1,2,3,
Zhe Chen
1,2,3,
Zhiwen Wei
1,3,4,* and
Keming Yun
1,3,4,*
1
School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Jinzhong 030600, China
2
Shanxi Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Jinzhong 030600, China
3
Key Laboratory of Forensic Toxicology of Ministry of Public Security, Jinzhong 030600, China
4
Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine in Shanxi Province, Jinzhong 030600, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2025, 30(13), 2682; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132682 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 21 March 2025 / Revised: 16 June 2025 / Accepted: 17 June 2025 / Published: 21 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Analytical Chemistry)
Versions Notes

Abstract

In recent years, the harms and abuse of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) have attracted extensive attention in society. Their structures have been updated rapidly, which brings great challenges for continuous detection and drug identification. The aim of this study was to elucidate the metabolites of 26 kinds of abused SCs produced in human liver microsomes (HLMs) and rats and to explore the metabolism of indole amides, indazole amides, azaindoles, naphthyl indoles, cyclopropylindoles, naphthyl benzimidazole, and naphthyl pyrrole SCs in vivo and in vitro. Human liver microsomes were incubated with SCs to simulate human metabolic processes, and the in vitro metabolic model of liver microsomes was established. After the SD rats were randomized into groups, 26 kinds of SCs and normal saline were injected respectively to establish the rat model after exposure. The metabolites were identified one by one using a UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS method to explore the metabolic law. A total of 609 metabolites were identified, involving 30 metabolic pathways. The metabolism of SCs was summarized from the parent nuclear group, the head group, the linking group, and the tail side chain, and the mass spectral fragmentation pattern of the metabolites was analyzed in order to provide reference for the examination and identification of SCs-related cases.
Keywords: drug metabolism; metabolites; synthetic cannabinoids (SCs); new psychoactive substances (NPSs); toxicological analysis drug metabolism; metabolites; synthetic cannabinoids (SCs); new psychoactive substances (NPSs); toxicological analysis

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Ning, Y.; Wang, T.; Yang, X.; Guo, F.; Xu, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, K.; Hu, M.; Chen, Z.; Wei, Z.; et al. Systematic Characterization of In Vitro and In Vivo Metabolic Pathways and Identification of Novel Biomarkers of 26 Synthetic Cannabinoids. Molecules 2025, 30, 2682. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132682

AMA Style

Ning Y, Wang T, Yang X, Guo F, Xu Y, Zhang Y, Wang K, Hu M, Chen Z, Wei Z, et al. Systematic Characterization of In Vitro and In Vivo Metabolic Pathways and Identification of Novel Biomarkers of 26 Synthetic Cannabinoids. Molecules. 2025; 30(13):2682. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132682

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ning, Yudie, Tao Wang, Xiao Yang, Fang Guo, Yingwen Xu, Yuan Zhang, Kaile Wang, Meng Hu, Zhe Chen, Zhiwen Wei, and et al. 2025. "Systematic Characterization of In Vitro and In Vivo Metabolic Pathways and Identification of Novel Biomarkers of 26 Synthetic Cannabinoids" Molecules 30, no. 13: 2682. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132682

APA Style

Ning, Y., Wang, T., Yang, X., Guo, F., Xu, Y., Zhang, Y., Wang, K., Hu, M., Chen, Z., Wei, Z., & Yun, K. (2025). Systematic Characterization of In Vitro and In Vivo Metabolic Pathways and Identification of Novel Biomarkers of 26 Synthetic Cannabinoids. Molecules, 30(13), 2682. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132682

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop