The detection and quantitative analysis of the psychoactive component of Salvia divinorum, salvinorin A, in human biological fluids using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Pamela C Mcdonough, Justin M Holler, Shawn P Vorce, Thomas Z Bosy, Joseph Magluilo, Marilyn R Past
Journal of Analytical Toxicology 2008 DOI: 10.1093/jat/32.6.417 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Method development and validation Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Human biological fluids (blood and urine) |
| Topics | Salvia divinorum |
| Keywords | Salvinorin a detection Detecting salvinorin a Quantifies salvinorin a Detecting levels Psychoactive compound detection Lc-ms New method Highly sensitive method Innovative approach Robust analytical tool Forensic toxicology Forensic testing Human fluids analysis Blood analysis Urine analysis Drug quantification Salvinorin a quantification Psychoactive compound quantification Accurate detection |
| Citations | 24 |
| Key points | A validated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method can detect and quantify salvinorin A in human blood and urine down to 2.5 ng/mL. |
Abstract
Salvia divinorum, a member of the mint plant family, has hallucinogenic properties that have become increasingly sought after by recreational drug users. The main psychoactive component, salvinorin A, has potency comparable to lysergic acid diethylamide. Though still legal to possess in most of the United States and much of Europe, little is known regarding the compound's long-term health effects, addiction liability, and pharmacokinetics. Limited data are available in the scientific literature, and few analytical methods are published for the detection in human biological fluids. These factors contribute to the unfamiliarity of the compound and complicate the method development process necessary to accommodate special requested testing for salvinorin A. A sensitive analytical method for the detection and quantitation of salvinorin A in human biological fluids was developed and validated to resolve analytical shortcomings. The method utilizes a solid-phase extraction technique coupled with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry operated in selected ion monitoring mode. The assay has a linear range of 5.0-100 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.997. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were experimentally determined as 2.5 and 5.0 ng/mL, respectively. The method has been applied to blood and urine samples successfully and can be used to detect the presence of salvinorin A in forensic testing.