TOXICOLOGY OF NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES: ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS IN FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONS

Abstract

The emergence of novel psychoactive drugs has greatly complicated the identification and interpretation of these drugs in the clinical toxicology and forensic medicine arenas. In essence, these are chemically modified forms of controlled drugs that are already under control and are to avoid legislation and as such, cause unpredictable pharmacological and toxicological effects. It is crucial to determine and accurately identify the New Psychoactive Substances and interpret them through creative diagnostic and medico-legally reliable techniques. Multi-matrix detection and structure elucidation with the help of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance were applied in the present study, along with an integrative toxicological approach. The following validation parameters have been covered among others; linearity, sensitivity, precision, and recovery, and biochemical tests of liver and muscle enzymes, as biomarkers of toxicity. The findings showed that LC-MS/MS had greater analytical sensitivity, recovery, and repeatability compared to GC-MS, thus it was to be used in complicated biological samples. The level of NPS was high in urine samples which indicates the usefulness of this route not only in excretion but also in detection. The presence of high aminotransferases, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase showed liver and muscle damage in case of consumption of NPS. Implementation of the suggested analytical-biochemical system has broadened the prospects of identification, clinical behavior, and prosecution of NPS data. In that regard, the authors propose methodological standardization, inter-laboratory harmonization, and international toxicovigilance as the measures needed to enhance the monitoring capacity of NPS in order to provide global safety of population health and reinforce the scientific credibility of forensic toxicology.