3-methylmethcathinone and Drug-Overdose

Chemsex and slamsex represent a serious public health concern that has to be considered by both clinical and forensic toxicologists. Indeed, such practices appear to carry a significant degree of risk, including acute intoxication. Here we report the case of the intoxication of a 31-year-old male involving 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) during a slamsex session. In addition, we conducted a review of further cases. The 31-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department for severe impaired consciousness following the administration of psychoactive substances during a chemsex party. The detection and determination of 3-MMC and GHB concentrations were achieved using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. 3-MMC and GHB blood concentrations were 177 ng/mL and 131 mg/L, respectively. Further, an English and French exhaustive literature search was performed using several different electronic databases without any limiting period in order to identify all published case reports detailing chemsex/slamsex-related (fatal and nonfatal) intoxications. Nine publications detailing chemsex/slamsex-related intoxication cases have been published (between 2016 and 2020). These articles reported an overall of 13 cases, all involving men with a mean age of 39.1±9.8 years. The outcome was fatal in only 6 cases. 4-MEC and GHB were the two predominant drugs identified. However, given the rapid emergence of novel NPSs in the global market as well as the ease with which they can be accessed through the Internet, toxicological laboratories have to be ready to face new patterns of intoxications resulting from chemsex/slamsex.

Topics: Adult; Chromatography, Liquid; Drug Overdose; Forensic Toxicology; Humans; Male; Methamphetamine; Psychotropic Drugs; Sexual Behavior; Sodium Oxybate; Substance Abuse Detection; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

We reported the case of 69-year-old man who was discovered dead at a friend's home. 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) and poppers (alkyl nitrites) were found at the scene by the police. Autopsy specimens including peripheral and cardiac blood, urine, gastric content, bile and hair were sent to our laboratory to document a possible death involving abuse of drugs. Routine toxicological analysis was performed with gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID), high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD), headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-MS. After liquid-liquid extraction at alkaline pH, 3-MMC was identified with GC-MS (to allow the discrimination with 4-MMC) and quantified with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS)-MS with the two following transitions: m/z 178.1 > 160 and 178.1 > 144.9. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) was analyzed by GC-MS for fluids and GC-MS-MS for hair. Toxicological analysis in peripheral blood revealed the presence of 3-MMC (0.33 mg/L), pseudoephedrine (0.03 mg/L) and GHB (576 mg/L). These molecules have also been found in other post-mortem fluids. Furthermore, testing for "poppers" by HS-GC-MS was negative. Hair analysis, without segmentation, demonstrated the presence of 3-MMC (206.7 ng/mg), pseudoephedrine (0.16 ng/mg) and GHB (96.3 ng/mg) and suggested a repeated consumption of these substances. However, one cannot exclude contamination by sweat during the agony period. Toxicological post-mortem results suggest a fatal combination of 3-MMC and GHB. Despite his age, the decedent was known to abuse drugs.

Topics: Aged; Drug Overdose; Fatal Outcome; Forensic Toxicology; Humans; Hydroxybutyrates; Male; Methamphetamine

The emergence of a large number of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) in recent years poses a serious problem to clinical and forensic toxicologists. Here we report a patient who administrated ca. 500mg of 3-MMC (3-methyl-N-methylcathinone) and 400mg of 5-APB (5-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran) in combination with 80g of ethyl alcohol. The clinical manifestations included agitation, seizures, hypertension, tachycardia, hyperthermia and bradycardia. The patient did not recover and died around 4h after the use of drugs. The cause of death was acute cardiovascular collapse that occurred following mixed intoxication with NPSs and alcohol. Toxicological analysis of post-mortem blood revealed 3-MMC and 5-APB in concentrations of 1.6μg/mL and 5.6μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the serum alcohol concentration was 1.4g/L in ante-mortem sample collected 1h after admission to the hospital. This is the first report on blood concentration of 3-MMC and 5-APB in fatal intoxication.

Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Benzofurans; Blood Alcohol Content; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Designer Drugs; Drug Overdose; Forensic Toxicology; Humans; Male; Methamphetamine; Propylamines; Substance-Related Disorders; Young Adult