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Serial identification and structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal mixtures in South Africa

Dissertation (MSc (Chemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2024.

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Other Authors: Slabbert, Cara
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2024
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Slabbert, Cara
author_browse Slabbert, Cara
author_facet Slabbert, Cara
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc (Chemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2024.
format Thesis
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:20.633Z
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provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/96550 Serial identification and structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal mixtures in South Africa Slabbert, Cara u21758868@tuks.co.za Wooding, Madelien Malan, F.P. (Frederick) Mudau, Mbavhalelo Wendy UCTD Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) UPLC-HRMS Synthetic Cannabinoids Crystallography Gas chromatography coupled with amass selective detector (GCMSD) Serial identification Herbal mixtures SDG-03: Good health and well-being Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-03 Dissertation (MSc (Chemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2024. The primary objective of this study was to identify and characterise SCBs in herbal mixtures from South Africa using a serial identification approach. The analysis of seised herbal mixtures was carried out using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a high-resolution mass spectrometer (UPLC-HRMS) and gas chromatography coupled with amass selective detector (GCMSD). The study identified three SCBs associated with fatalities: N-[[1-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-1Hindazol- 3-yl]carbonyl]-L-valine, methyl ester (AMB-FUBINACA), N-[[1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazol-3- yl]carbonyl]-3-methyl-D/L-valine, methyl ester (5F-ADB), N-[[1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazol-3- yl]carbonyl]-3-methyl-L-valine, ethyl ester (5F-EDMB-PINACA) and fifteen other non-SCBs compounds. The study of MS fragment ions predicted possible fragmentation pathways and found that the identified SCBs and analysed reference standards are susceptible to the amide linker group cleavage, followed by cleavage of the fluorinated side chain. These findings suggest that abundant iv fragment ions can be used to screen uncharacterised SCBs belonging to the same family or sharing similar pharmacores. Additionally, we validated isolated SCBs from herbal mixtures using NMR spectroscopy where a reference standard was not available and obtained crystal data using SC-XRD. 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectral fingerprinting allowed for cross-validation of the isolated 5F-ADB. 1H-NMR spectroscopy was also successfully used to cross-validate the reference standard (S)-5F-EMBICA, supplied as (S)-5FABICA. SC-XRD crystal data results of (S)-5F-EMBICA were obtained with low quality and hence crossvalidated by NMR spectroscopy. This research, for the first time, to our knowledge reports the 1HNMR spectroscopy data of (S)-5F-EMBICA and its crystal structure and crystallography data. Finally, we conducted in silico analysis to estimate the pharmacokinetics and physicochemical properties of the SCB compounds. We utilised the SwissADME web tool for this purpose, which revealed several key findings, including the lipophilicity enantiomeric discrimination, side chain fluorogroup type effects, hydrophobic nature, TPSA analysis, GI absorption levels and BBB permeation, P-gp binding, and probability for CYP3A4 inhibition. These findings suggest that the SwissADME web tool can be used as a first line of pharmacokinetic properties prediction for SCBs in the absence of bioassays and expertise in advanced computer modelling. In silico analysis was also carried out to characterise selected SCBs further through docking pose predictions on the CB1 receptor using the Maestro molecular modelling software by Schrödinger. The results showed that the indazole ring of the SCB interacts via π-π stacking with phenylalanine residues, particularly Phe 268, Phe 170, Phe 174, and His 178. The study concludes that the (S)-enantiomer has a higher CB1 affinity and more π-π stacking interactions with phenylalanine residues which are important for CB1 agonism. These results can be used to predict the properties of uncharacterised SCBs before their spread in the illicit drug market. National Research Foundation Chemistry MSc (Chemistry) Unrestricted Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences SDG-03: Good health and well-being 2024-06-19T14:09:42Z 2024-06-19T14:09:42Z 2024-09-06 2024-04-12 Dissertation * S2024 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/96550 DOI: https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.26057779.v1 10.25403/UPresearchdata.26057779 en © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
UPLC-HRMS
Synthetic Cannabinoids
Crystallography
Gas chromatography coupled with amass selective detector (GCMSD)
Serial identification
Herbal mixtures
SDG-03: Good health and well-being
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-03
Serial identification and structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal mixtures in South Africa
title Serial identification and structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal mixtures in South Africa
title_full Serial identification and structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal mixtures in South Africa
title_fullStr Serial identification and structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal mixtures in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Serial identification and structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal mixtures in South Africa
title_short Serial identification and structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal mixtures in South Africa
title_sort serial identification and structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal mixtures in south africa
topic UCTD
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
UPLC-HRMS
Synthetic Cannabinoids
Crystallography
Gas chromatography coupled with amass selective detector (GCMSD)
Serial identification
Herbal mixtures
SDG-03: Good health and well-being
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-03
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/96550