Detectability of Dissociative Psychoactive Substances in Urine by Five Commercial Phencyclidine Immunoassays.
Isabel Gomila, Maria Ángeles Leciñena, Miguel Ángel Elorza, Yolanda Pastor, Laura Sahuquillo, Miguel Servera, Jordi Puiguriguer, Bernardino Barcelo
Journal of Analytical Toxicology July 24, 2019 DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkz026 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-reactivity study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Urine samples spiked with 3-MeO-PCP, 4-MeO-PCP, MXE, and ketamine; plus urine from two 3-MeO-PCP overdose cases |
| Key points | 3-MeO-PCP and 4-MeO-PCP cross-react with commercial PCP immunoassays (1-143%), while MXE shows very weak cross-reactivity (0.04-0.25%) and ketamine is not detected. |
Abstract
Methoxetamine (MXE) and the arylcyclohexylamines 3-methoxy-PCP (3-MeO-PCP) and 4-methoxy-PCP (4-MeO-PCP) are substituted analogs of the dissociative psychoactive substances ketamine and phencyclidine (PCP), respectively. They have emerged on the new psychoactive substances (NPS) market as legal alternatives to these classically banned dissociatives. Little data has been published regarding the cross-reactivity of these NPS in PCP immunoassays (IAs). The aim of this work was to explore the possibilities of detecting 3-MeO-PCP, 4-MeO-PCP, MXE and ketamine in commercial IAs for PCP. The cross-reactivity study was performed in five different PCP IAs using urine-free, spiked samples and urine samples obtained from two 3-MeO-PCP overdose cases. 3-MeO-PCP and 4-MeO-PCP showed cross-reactivity (ranging from 1-143%) in all PCP IAs evaluated. MXE only showed very weak cross-reactivity (ranged from 0.04 to 0.25%) and ketamine was not detected in any PCP IA evaluated. Urine samples from the two overdose cases were positive for PCP in all IAs evaluated. The commercial PCP IAs evaluated exhibited utility as rapid, preliminary screening techniques for 3-MeO-PCP and 4-MeO-PCP, but not for ketamine. The low reactivity of MXE limits its detectability in the PCP IAs evaluated.