A case of 25I-NBOMe (25-I) intoxication: a new potent 5-HT2A agonist designer drug

An 18-year-old man became severely agitated and hallucinated after taking 25I-NBOMe, a synthetic phenethylamine, jumping from a moving car. In the emergency department he had a heart rate of 150–160 beats per minute and blood pressure of 150–170 mm Hg systolic and 110 mm Hg diastolic, requiring physical restraints and intravenous lorazepam. Symptoms gradually resolved over 48 hours, though episodes of aggressiveness continued. A new laboratory assay detected 0.76 ng/ml of 25-I in his serum, the first reported quantification of this drug in blood. 25I-NBOMe is a potent new synthetic drug with significant behavioral toxicity that can be measured in serum.

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Abstract

Context. Abuse of synthetic stimulant compounds resulting in significant toxicity is being increasingly reported by poison centers. Toxicologic assessment is complicated by inconsistent manufacturing processes and limited laboratory testing. We describe a case of self-reported exposure to 25-I (25I-NBOMe), a novel phenethylamine derivative, with subsequent quantification in serum. Case details. An 18-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) with severe agitation and hallucinations after jumping out of a moving car. He was tachycardiac (150–160 bpm) and hypertensive (150–170 mm Hg systolic and 110 mg Hg diastolic), and required physical restraints and treatment with intravenous lorazepam administration. His symptoms gradually improved and vital signs returned to normal over 48 h, though he continued to have episodes of aggressiveness. An assay was developed by our analytical toxicology laboratory for 25-I, and serum obtained during ED evaluation and treatment was found to contain 0.76 ng/ml of 25-I. Case discussion. For 25I-NBOMe, 25-I is a common abbreviation for 25I-NBOMe, which is a (n-benzyl) phenethylamine in the 2C “family.”Initially synthesized for research, cases of self-reported use of 25-I have recently appeared in the literature, some of which contain qualitative urine confirmation. There are no commercially available quantitative assays, and no previous reports have published serum concentrations. 25-I is a potent new synthetic drug with apparent significant behavioral toxicity that can be detected and quantified in serum.