Citation

Schäper J, Westphal F, Fehn S. Toxichem Krimtech 2013; 80(Spec Iss): 231-247.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Gesellschaft für Toxikologische und Forensische Chemie)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Recently the designer drug 5-(2-aminopropyl)indole (5-IT, 5-API) was seized by the Bavarian police on several occasions. This drug is distributed predominantly via internet as a so called research chemical (rc). 5-IT is a position isomer of alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT). Unlike 5-IT, the halluzinogenic substance AMT is listed in the German Narcotics Act (BtMG). For this reason it is necessary to distinguish between the two isomers. Case report: In this case the police discovered a light brown powder in the apartment of a de- ceased person. According to the report of the post mortem examination the cause of death re- mained unknown.

METHODS: Previously seized samples of 5-IT and AMT (in the form of research chemicals and party-pills), the light brown powder from the case mentioned above, blood and urine samples of the corpse were analyzed by LC-MS, GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, FTIR-spectroscopy and thin layer chromatography (TLC) respectively.

RESULTS and Conclusion: The mass spectra (EI 70 eV) of 5-IT and AMT are almost similar. However, these two substances can be differentiated by FTIR-spectroscopy, TLC, LC-MS, GC-MS (via TMS- and PFP-derivatives) and by GC-MS-MS after chemical ionization. Using LC-MS and GC-MS we found that the blood and urine of the deceased person contained huge amounts of 5-IT (blood level > 1,2 μg/ml). The results of the toxicological analysis led us to the conclusion that the cause of death was a fatal 5-IT-intoxication. As far as we know this is the first report of a fatal 5-IT intoxication in Germany.

Language: de