Studies on the metabolism and toxicological detection of the amphetamine-like anorectic mefenorex in human urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and fluorescence polarization immunoassay

Studies on the metabolism and on the toxicological analysis of mefenorex [R,S-N-(3-chloropropyl)-alpha-methylphenethylamine, MF] using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) are described. The metabolites were identified in urine samples of volunteers by GC-MS. Besides MF, thirteen metabolites including amphetamine (AM) could be identified and three partially overlapping metabolic pathways could be postulated. For GC-MS detection, the systematic toxicological analysis procedure including acid hydrolysis, extraction at pH 8-9 and acetylation was suitable (detection limits 50 ng/ml for MF and 100 ng/ml for AM). Excretion studies showed, that only AM but neither MF nor its specific metabolites were detectable between 32 and 68 h after ingestion of 80 mg of MF. Therefore, misinterpretation can occur. The Abbott TDx FPIA amphetamine/methamphetamine II gave positive results up to 68 h. All the positive immunoassay results could be confirmed by the described GC-MS procedure.