Gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for the screening of adulterants in seized captagon™ tablets

Abstract

Background: Amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) are the second most popular illegal drugs used worldwide, after cannabis. The production of ATS has increased across the world, including the Middle East. Fenethylline (Captagon™), amphetamine derivative, sold as a street drug usually contains several adulterants and diluents. In Saudi Arabia, like other countries, samples of illicit ATS are submitted to laboratories to test for the adulterated compounds.

Objective: The objective of the proposed study was to apply gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for fenethylline profiling of seized samples collected from the Saudi market (n = 55).

Methodology: The GC/MS analysis was performed on a general purpose column (30 m × 0.25 mm i.d) coated with 0.25 µm cross bond, 5% diphenyl dimethyl polysiloxane (Rtx-5MS). The mass was operated in the electron impact mode.

Results and discussion: Analyzed samples gave positive results for amphetamine in the concentration range between 1.35% and 37.32% of the powder, caffeine in the range between 22.74 and 44.92%, in addition to different concentrations of levoglucosenone, theophylline, D-allose, lidocaine, methamphetamine, dextromethorphan, and other adulterants. Finally, the presence of other substances in fenethylline street samples could result in intoxication. This significantly contributes to the potential risk of drug addiction among public.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Adulteration
• captagon
• fenethylline
• GC-MS
• illicit

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.