2,831
Views
73
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Review Articles

The synthetic cannabinoids phenomenon: from structure to toxicological properties. A review

, , , &
Pages 359-382 | Received 20 Jan 2020, Accepted 27 Apr 2020, Published online: 12 Jun 2020

References

  • Abbate V, Schwenk M, Presley BC, Uchiyama N. 2018. The ongoing challenge of novel psychoactive drugs of abuse. Part I. Synthetic cannabinoids (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure Appl Chem. 90(8):1255–1282.
  • Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. ‘Third generation’ synthetic Cannabinoids; 2014. [accessed 2019 Jul 16]. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380161/CannabinoidsReport.pdf.
  • Aizpurua-Olaizola O, Elezgarai I, Rico-Barrio I, Zarandona I, Etxebarria N, Usobiaga A. 2017. Targeting the endocannabinoid system: future therapeutic strategies. Drug Discov Today. 22(1):105–110.
  • Alipour A, Patel PB, Shabbir Z, Gabrielson S. 2019. Review of the many faces of synthetic cannabinoid toxicities. Ment Health Clin. 9(2):93–99.
  • Altintas M, Inanc L, Oruc GA, Arpacioglu S, Gulec H. 2016. Clinical characteristics of synthetic cannabinoid-induced psychosis in relation to schizophrenia: a single-center cross-sectional analysis of concurrently hospitalized patients. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 12:1893–1900.
  • Andre CM, Hausman J-F, Guerriero G. 2016. Cannabis sativa: the plant of the thousand and one molecules. Front Plant Sci. 7:19–19.
  • Araújo AM, Valente MJ, Carvalho M, Dias da Silva D, Gaspar H, Carvalho F, de Lourdes Bastos M, Guedes de Pinho P. 2015. Raising awareness of new psychoactive substances: chemical analysis and in vitro toxicity screening of ‘legal high’ packages containing synthetic cathinones. Arch Toxicol. 89(5):757–771.
  • Ashino T, Hakukawa K, Itoh Y, Numazawa S. 2014. Inhibitory effect of synthetic cannabinoids on CYP1A activity in mouse liver microsomes. J Toxicol Sci. 39(6):815–820.
  • Aso E, Ferrer I. 2016. CB2 cannabinoid receptor as potential target against Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Neurosci. 10:243–243.
  • Aung MM, Griffin G, Huffman JW, Wu M-J, Keel C, Yang B, Showalter VM, Abood ME, Martin BR. 2000. Influence of the N-1 alkyl chain length of cannabimimetic indoles upon CB1 and CB2 receptor binding. Drug Alcohol Depend. 60(2):133–140.
  • Auwärter V, Dargan PI, Wood DM. 2013. Chapter 13 - synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists. In: Dargan PI, Wood DM, editors. Novel psychoactive substances. Boston: Academic Press; p. 317–343.
  • Auwärter V, Dresen S, Weinmann W, Müller M, Pütz M, Ferreirós N. 2009. 'Spice' and other herbal blends: harmless incense or cannabinoid designer drugs? J Mass Spectrom. 44(5):832–837.
  • Banister SD, Moir M, Stuart J, Kevin RC, Wood KE, Longworth M, Wilkinson SM, Beinat C, Buchanan AS, Glass M, et al. 2015. Pharmacology of Indole and Indazole synthetic cannabinoid designer drugs AB-FUBINACA, ADB-FUBINACA, AB-PINACA, ADB-PINACA, 5F-AB-PINACA, 5F-ADB-PINACA, ADBICA, and 5F-ADBICA. ACS Chem Neurosci. 6(9):1546–1559.
  • Banister SD, Stuart J, Kevin RC, Edington A, Longworth M, Wilkinson SM, Beinat C, Buchanan AS, Hibbs DE, Glass M, et al. 2015. Effects of bioisosteric fluorine in synthetic cannabinoid designer drugs JWH-018, AM-2201, UR-144, XLR-11, PB-22, 5F-PB-22, APICA, and STS-135. ACS Chem Neurosci. 6(8):1445–1458.
  • Barratt M, Seear K, Lancaster K. 2017. A critical examination of the definition of 'psychoactive effect' in Australian drug legislation. Int J Drug Policy. 40:16–25.
  • Baumann MH, Glennon RA, Wiley JL. 2017. Neuropharmacology of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS): The science behind the headlines. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
  • Blundell MS, Dargan PI, Wood DM. 2018. The dark cloud of recreational drugs and vaping. Qjm-Int J Med. 111(3):145–148.
  • Breitbarth AK, Morgan J, Jones AL. 2018. E-cigarettes-An unintended illicit drug delivery system. Drug Alcohol Depend. 192:98–111.
  • Brents LK, Prather PL. 2014. The K2/Spice phenomenon: emergence, identification, legislation and metabolic characterization of synthetic cannabinoids in herbal incense products. Drug Metab Rev. 46(1):72–85.
  • Brents LK, Reichard EE, Zimmerman SM, Moran JH, Fantegrossi WE, Prather PL. 2011. Phase I hydroxylated metabolites of the K2 synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 retain in vitro and in vivo cannabinoid 1 receptor affinity and activity. PLoS One. 6(7):e21917.
  • Britannica E. 2018. Cannabis. Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc. [accessed 2019 Apr 17]. https://www.britannica.com/plant/cannabis-plant.
  • Brock TG. 2012. The Metabolism of JWH-type Synthetic Cannabinoids. [accessed 2019 Apr 22]. https://www.caymanchem.com/news/metabolism-of-jwh-type-synthetic-cannabinoids.
  • Buser GL, Gerona RR, Horowitz BZ, Vian KP, Troxell ML, Hendrickson RG, Houghton DC, Rozansky D, Su SW, Leman RF. 2014. Acute kidney injury associated with smoking synthetic cannabinoid. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 52(7):664–673.
  • Cannaert A, Storme J, Franz F, Auwärter V, Stove C. 2016. Detection and activity profiling of synthetic cannabinoids and metabolites with a newly developed bio-assay. Anal Chem. 88(23):11476–11485.
  • Cannaert A, Vandeputte M, Wille SMR, Stove CP. 2019. Activity-based reporter assays for the screening of abused substances in biological matrices. Crit Rev Toxicol. 49(2):95–109.
  • Carlier J, Wohlfarth A, Salmeron BD, Scheidweiler KB, Huestis MA, Baumann MH. 2018. Pharmacodynamic effects, pharmacokinetics, and metabolism of the synthetic cannabinoid AM-2201 in male rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 367(3):543–550.
  • Carlsson A. 2016. Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of emerging synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones [Dissertation]. Sweden: Linköping University.
  • Carvalho Â, Hansen EH, Kayser O, Carlsen S, Stehle F. 2017. Designing microorganisms for heterologous biosynthesis of cannabinoids. FEMS Yeast Research. 17(4):fox037.
  • Castaneto MS, Gorelick DA, Desrosiers NA, Hartman RL, Pirard S, Huestis MA. 2014. Synthetic cannabinoids: epidemiology, pharmacodynamics, and clinical implications. Drug Alcohol Depend. 144:12–41.
  • Castaneto MS, Wohlfarth A, Pang S, Zhu M, Scheidweiler KB, Kronstrand R, Huestis MA. 2015. Identification of AB-FUBINACA metabolites in human hepatocytes and urine using high-resolution mass spectrometry. Forensic Toxicol. 33(2):295–310.
  • Castaneto MS, Wohlfarth A, Desrosiers NA, Hartman RL, Gorelick DA, Huestis MA. 2015. Synthetic cannabinoids pharmacokinetics and detection methods in biological matrices. Drug Metab Rev. 47(2):124–174.
  • Caviness CM, Tzilos G, Anderson BJ, Stein MD. 2015. Synthetic cannabinoids: use and predictors in a community sample of young adults. Subst Abus. 36(3):368–373.
  • CDC. 2013. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Acute kidney injury associated with synthetic cannabinoid use–multiple states, 2012. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 62(6):93–98.
  • Chakravarti B, Ravi J, Ganju RK. 2014. Cannabinoids as therapeutic agents in cancer: current status and future implications. Oncotarget. 5(15):5852–5872.
  • Chimalakonda KC, Seely KA, Bratton SM, Brents LK, Moran CL, Endres GW, James LP, Hollenberg PF, Prather PL, Radominska-Pandya A. 2012. Cytochrome P450-mediated oxidative metabolism of abused synthetic cannabinoids found in K2/Spice: identification of novel cannabinoid receptor ligands. Drug Metab Dispos. 40(11):2174–2184.
  • Chopra N. 2015. Fake marijuana. A Real Problem. 10. https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/pb/assets/raw/journals/residents-journal/2015/June_2015.pdf
  • Clinic K. 2016. What are cannabinoids? Kalapa Clinic. [accessed 2019 Jul 24]. https://www.kalapa-clinic.com/en/cannabinoids-type/.
  • Cohen K, Kapitány-Fövény M, Mama Y, Arieli M, Rosca P, Demetrovics Z, Weinstein A. 2017. The effects of synthetic cannabinoids on executive function. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 234(7):1121–1134.
  • Cohen K, Weinstein A. 2018. The effects of cannabinoids on executive functions: evidence from cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids—a systematic review. Brain Sci. 8(3):40.
  • Cohen K, Weinstein AM. 2018. Synthetic and non-synthetic cannabinoid drugs and their adverse effects-a review from public health prospective. Front Public Health. 6:162.
  • Cooper ZD. 2016. Adverse effects of synthetic cannabinoids: management of acute toxicity and withdrawal. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 18(5):52.
  • De Brabanter N, Esposito S, Tudela E, Lootens L, Meuleman P, Leroux-Roels G, Deventer K, Van Eenoo P. 2013. In vivo and in vitro metabolism of the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-200. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 27(18):2115–2126.
  • De Luca MA, Fattore L. 2018. Therapeutic use of synthetic cannabinoids: still an openIssue? Clin Ther. 40(9):1457–1466.
  • Debruyne D, Le Boisselier R. 2015. Emerging drugs of abuse: current perspectives on synthetic cannabinoids. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 6:113–129.
  • Deng H, Verrico CD, Kosten TR, Nielsen DA. 2018. Psychosis and synthetic cannabinoids. Psychiatry Res. 268:400–412.
  • Diao X, Carlier J, Zhu M, Pang S, Kronstrand R, Scheidweiler KB, Huestis MA. 2017. In vitro and in vivo human metabolism of a new synthetic cannabinoid NM-2201 (CBL-2201). Forensic Toxicol. 35(1):20–32.
  • Diao X, Huestis MA. 2017. Approaches, challenges, and advances in metabolism of new synthetic cannabinoids and identification of optimal urinary marker metabolites. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 101(2):239–253.
  • Diao X, Huestis MA. 2019. New synthetic cannabinoids metabolism and strategies to best identify optimal marker metabolites. Front Chem. 7:109–109.
  • Dresen S, Ferreiros N, Putz M, Westphal F, Zimmermann R, Auwarter V. 2010. Monitoring of herbal mixtures potentially containing synthetic cannabinoids as psychoactive compounds. J Mass Spectrom. 45(10):1186–1194.
  • Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 2011. Schedules of controlled substances: temporary placement of five synthetic cannabinoids into schedule I. p. 11075–11078. https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2011/fr0301.htm
  • Duccio P, Fabrizio S, Laura O. 2018. Chapter 9, synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoid-induced psychotic disorders. In: Compton MT, Manseau MW, editors. The complex connection between cannabis and schizophrenia. San Diego: Academic Press; p. 199–220.
  • ElSohly MA, Ahmed S, Gul SW, Gul W. 2019. Chapter 22 - Review of synthetic cannabinoids on the illicit drug market. In: Dasgupta A, editor. Critical issues in alcohol and drugs of abuse testing 2nd ed. San Diego, USA: Academic Press; p. 273–319.
  • EMCDDA 2009. Understanding the ‘Spice’ phenomenon. [accessed 2019 Feb 23]. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/thematic-papers/understanding-spice-phenomenon_en.
  • EMCDDA 2015. Synthetic cannabinoids and “Spice” drug profile. [accessed 2019 Apr 15]. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profile/synthetic-cannabinoids-drug-profile_en.
  • EMCDDA 2017. Perspectives On Drugs: Synthetic cannabinoids in Europe. [updated June; accessed 2019 Apr 12]. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/pods/synthetic-cannabinoids_en.
  • EMCDDA 2018. Fentanils and synthetic cannabinoids: driving greater complexity into the drug situation. [accessed 2019 Feb 23]. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/8870/2018-2489-td0118414enn.pdf.
  • EMCDDA. 2019a. EU drug markets report. Publications O ce of the European Union. [accessed 2019 Oct 2]. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/12078/20192630_TD0319332ENN_PDF.pdf.
  • EMCDDA. 2019b. European drug report 2019: trends and developments. [accessed]. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/edr2019_en.
  • Emery DW, Iceman CR, Hayes SM. 2018. Geographic variability of active ingredients in spice as an indicator of mechanisms of distribution and manufacture within Alaska. J Young Investig. 34(4):7–16.
  • Evren C, Bozkurt M. 2013. Synthetic cannabinoids: crisis of the decade Düşünen Adam. J Psychiatr Neurol Sci. 26:1–11.
  • Fantegrossi WE, Moran JH, Radominska-Pandya A, Prather PL. 2014. Distinct pharmacology and metabolism of K2 synthetic cannabinoids compared to Δ(9)-THC: mechanism underlying greater toxicity? Life Sci. 97(1):45–54.
  • Farrugia LA, Rhyee SH, Calello DP, Campleman SL, Riederer AM, Malashock HR, Pizon A, Wiegand T, Wax PM, Brent J, et al. 2017. The toxicology investigators consortium case registry-the 2016 experience. J Med Toxicol. 13(3):203–226.
  • Farrugia LA, Rhyee SH, Campleman SL, Judge B, Kao L, Pizon A, Porter L, Riederer AM, Wiegand T, Calello D, et al. 2018. The toxicology investigators consortium case registry-the 2017 annual report]. J Med Toxicol. 14(3):182–211.
  • Fattore L, Fratta W. 2011. Beyond THC: the new generation of cannabinoid designer drugs [Review]. Front Behav Neurosci. 5(60):1–12.
  • Feng LY, Battulga A, Han E, Chung H, Li JH. 2017. New psychoactive substances of natural origin: a brief review. J Food Drug Anal. 25(3):461–471.
  • Gamage TF, Farquhar CE, Lefever TW, Marusich JA, Kevin RC, McGregor IS, Wiley JL, Thomas BF. 2018. Molecular and behavioral pharmacological characterization of abused synthetic cannabinoids MMB- and MDMB-FUBINACA, MN-18, NNEI, CUMYL-PICA, and 5-Fluoro-CUMYL-PICA. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 365(2):437–446.
  • Garner CE, Smith S, Bardhan PK, Ratcliffe NM, Probert CS. 2009. A pilot study of faecal volatile organic compounds in faeces from cholera patients in Bangladesh to determine their utility in disease diagnosis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 103(11):1171–1173.
  • Gertsch J, Pertwee RG, Di Marzo V. 2010. Phytocannabinoids beyond the Cannabis plant - do they exist? Br J Pharmacol. 160(3):523–529.
  • Gonçalves JL, Alves VL, Aguiar J, Teixeira HM, Câmara JS. 2019. Synthetic cathinones: an evolving class of new psychoactive substances. Crit Rev Toxicol. 49(7):549–566.
  • Grigoryev A, Melnik A, Savchuk S, Simonov A, Rozhanets V. 2011. Gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry studies on the metabolism of the synthetic phenylacetylindole cannabimimetic JWH-250, the psychoactive component of smoking mixtures. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 879(25):2519–2526.
  • Hakimian D, Tomer O, Hiller N, Heyman SN, Israel S. 2017. Fatal mesenteric ischemia induced by synthetic cannabinoids: a case report and literature review. Case Rep Emerg Med. 2017:6964078–6964078.
  • Halawa OI, Furnish TJ, Wallace MS. 2018. Chapter 56 - role of cannabinoids in pain management. In: Benzon HT, Raja SN, Liu SS, editors. Essentials of pain medicine. 4th ed. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier; p. 509–520.
  • Henriques S, Silva JP, Hsu K. 2018. Overview on new psychoactive substances in Portugal. Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia Instituto Universitário de Lisboa.
  • Hervás ES. 2017. Synthetic cannabinoids: characteristics, use and clinical implications. Arch Psychiatry Psychother. 19(2):42–48.
  • Hess C, Schoeder CT, Pillaiyar T, Madea B, Müller CE. 2016. Pharmacological evaluation of synthetic cannabinoids identified as constituents of spice. Forensic Toxicol. 34:329–343.
  • Holm NB, Nielsen LM, Linnet K. 2015. CYP3A4 mediates oxidative metabolism of the synthetic cannabinoid AKB-48. AAPS J. 17(5):1237–1245.
  • Home Office 2018. Review of the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. [accessed 2019 Jul 17]. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/756896/Review_of_the_Psychoactive_Substances_Act__2016___web_.pdf.
  • Hourani W, Alexander S. 2018. Cannabinoid ligands, receptors and enzymes: Pharmacological tools and therapeutic potential. Brain Neurosci Adv. 2:2398212818783908–8.
  • Hruba L, McMahon LR. 2014. The cannabinoid agonist HU-210: pseudo-irreversible discriminative stimulus effects in rhesus monkeys. Eur J Pharmacol. 727:35–42.
  • Hudson S, Ramsey J, King L, Timbers S, Maynard S, Dargan PI, Wood DM. 2010. Use of high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry to detect reported and previously unreported cannabinomimetics in “herbal high” products. J Anal Toxicol. 34(5):252–260.
  • Huffman JW, Padgett LW. 2005. Recent developments in the medicinal chemistry of cannabimimetic indoles, pyrroles and indenes. Curr Med Chem. 12(12):1395–1411.
  • Huffman JW, Padgett LW, Isherwood ML, Wiley JL, Martin BR. 2006. 1-Alkyl-2-aryl-4-(1-naphthoyl)pyrroles: new high affinity ligands for the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 16(20):5432–5435.
  • Huffman JW, Szklennik PV, Almond A, Bushell K, Selley DE, He H, Cassidy MP, Wiley JL, Martin BR. 2005. 1-Pentyl-3-phenylacetylindoles, a new class of cannabimimetic indoles. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 15(18):4110–4113.
  • Huffman JW, Zengin G, Wu M-J, Lu J, Hynd G, Bushell K, Thompson ALS, Bushell S, Tartal C, Hurst DP, et al. 2005. Structure-activity relationships for 1-alkyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indoles at the cannabinoid CB(1) and CB(2) receptors: steric and electronic effects of naphthoyl substituents. New highly selective CB(2) receptor agonists. Bioorg Med Chem. 13(1):89–112.
  • Hutter M, Broecker S, Kneisel S, Auwärter V. 2012. Identification of the major urinary metabolites in man of seven synthetic cannabinoids of the aminoalkylindole type present as adulterants in 'herbal mixtures' using LC-MS/MS techniques . J Mass Spectrom. 47(1):54–65.
  • Hutter M, Moosmann B, Kneisel S, Auwarter V. 2013. Characteristics of the designer drug and synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist AM-2201 regarding its chemistry and metabolism. J Mass Spectrom. 48(7):885–894.
  • Iversen L. 2018. The science of marijuana. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Jang M, Kim IS, Park YN, Kim J, Han I, Baeck S, Yang W, Yoo HH. 2016. Determination of urinary metabolites of XLR-11 by liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem. 408(2):503–516.
  • John CA. 2012. Synthetic cannabinoids as drugs of abuse. Curr Drug Abuse Rev. 5(2):158–168.
  • Kacinko SL, Xu A, Homan JW, McMullin MM, Warrington DM, Logan BK. 2011. Development and validation of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the identification and quantification of JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-019, and JWH-250 in human whole blood. J Anal Toxicol. 35(7):386–393.
  • Kanamori T, Kanda K, Yamamuro T, Kuwayama K, Tsujikawa K, Iwata YT, Inoue H. 2015. Detection of main metabolites of XLR-11 and its thermal degradation product in human hepatoma HepaRG cells and human urine. Drug Test Anal. 7(4):341–345.
  • Karinen R, Tuv SS, Øiestad EL, Vindenes V. 2015. Concentrations of APINACA, 5F-APINACA, UR-144 and its degradant product in blood samples from six impaired drivers compared to previous reported concentrations of other synthetic cannabinoids. Forensic Sci Int. 246:98–103.
  • Kavanagh P, Grigoryev A, Melnik A, Savchuk S, Simonov A, Rozhanets V. 2013. Detection and tentative identification of urinary phase I metabolites of phenylacetylindole cannabimimetics JWH-203 and JWH-251, by GC-MS and LC-MS/MS. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 934:102–108.
  • Kavanagh P, Grigoryev A, Savchuk S, Mikhura I, Formanovsky A. 2013. UR-144 in products sold via the Internet: identification of related compounds and characterization of pyrolysis products. Drug Test Anal. 5(8):683–692.
  • Kneisel S, Speck M, Moosmann B, Corneillie TM, Butlin NG, Auwarter V. 2013. LC/ESI-MS/MS method for quantification of 28 synthetic cannabinoids in neat oral fluid and its application to preliminary studies on their detection windows. Anal Bioanal Chem. 405(14):4691–4706.
  • Knittel JL, Holler JM, Chmiel JD, Vorce SP, Magluilo J, Jr, Levine B, Ramos G, Bosy TZ. 2016. Analysis of parent synthetic cannabinoids in blood and urinary metabolites by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. J Anal Toxicol. 40(3):173–186.
  • Kong TY, Kim J-H, Kim DK, Lee HS. 2018. Synthetic cannabinoids are substrates and inhibitors of multiple drug-metabolizing enzymes. Arch Pharm Res. 41(7):691–710.
  • Lafaye G, Karila L, Blecha L, Benyamina A. 2017. Cannabis, cannabinoids, and health. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 19(3):309–316.
  • Lam RPK, Tang MHY, Leung SC, Chong YK, Tsui MSH, Mak T. 2017. Supraventricular tachycardia and acute confusion following ingestion of e-cigarette fluid containing AB-FUBINACA and ADB-FUBINACA: a case report with quantitative analysis of serum drug concentrations. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 55(7):662–667.
  • Lambert DM. 2009. Cannabinoids in nature and medicine. Weinheim: Wiley–VCH.
  • Lefever TW, Marusich JA, Thomas BF, Barrus DG, Peiper NC, Kevin RC, Wiley JL. 2017. Vaping synthetic cannabinoids: a novel preclinical model of E-cigarette use in mice. Subst Abuse. 11:1178221817701739–1178221817701739.
  • Livny A, Cohen K, Tik N, Tsarfaty G, Rosca P, Weinstein A. 2018. The effects of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) on brain structure and function. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 28(9):1047–1057.
  • Lu HC, Mackie K. 2016. An introduction to the endogenous cannabinoid system. Biol Psychiatry. 79(7):516–525.
  • Malfitano AM, Basu S, Maresz K, Bifulco M, Dittel BN. 2014. What we know and do not know about the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2). Semin Immunol. 26(5):369–379.
  • Mander L, Liu HW. 2010. Comprehensive natural products II: chemistry and biology. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Science.
  • Manera C, Arena C, Chicca A. 2016. Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists: implication in CNS disorders. Recent Pat CNS Drug Discov. 10(2):142–156.
  • Manseau MW. 2016a. Chapter 7, Synthetic cannabinoids - emergence, epidemiology, clinical effects, and management. In: Compton MT, editor. Marijuana and mental health. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; p. 149–169.
  • Manseau MW. 2016b. Chapter 7, Synthetic cannabinoids: emergence, epidemiology, clinical effects and management. In: Compton MT, editor. Marijuana and mental health. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
  • Manseau MW. 2016c. Chapter 7, Synthetic cannabinoids: emergence, epidemiology, clinical effects, and management. In: Compton MT, editor. Marijuana and mental health. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; p. 272.
  • Maroon J, Bost J. 2018. Review of the neurological benefits of phytocannabinoids. Surg Neurol Int. 9:91–91.
  • Marusich JA, Wiley JL, Lefever TW, Patel PR, Thomas BF. 2018. Finding order in chemical chaos - continuing characterization of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists. Neuropharmacology. 134(Pt A):73–81.
  • Maurer H, Brandt SD, Nature S. 2018. New psychoactive substances: pharmacology, clinical, forensic and analytical toxicology. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
  • Messina F, Rosati O, Curini M, Marcotullio MC. 2015. Chapter 2 - cannabis and bioactive cannabinoids. In: Atta Ur R, editor. Studies in natural product chemistry. Oxford, UK: Elsevier; p. 17–57.
  • Meyer MR. 2016. New psychoactive substances: an overview on recent publications on their toxicodynamics and toxicokinetics. Arch Toxicol. 90(10):2421–2444.
  • Miliano C, Serpelloni G, Rimondo C, Mereu M, Marti MD, Luca MA. 2016. Neuropharmacology of new psychoactive substances (NPS): focus on the rewarding and reinforcing properties of cannabimimetics and amphetamine-like stimulants. Front Neurosci. 10:1–21.
  • Mills B, Yepes A, Nugent K. 2015. Synthetic cannabinoids. Am J Med Sci. 350(1):59–62.
  • Moeller S, Lucke C, Struffert T, Schwarze B, Gerner ST, Schwab S, Kohrmann M, Machold K, Philipsen A, Muller HH. 2017. Ischemic stroke associated with the use of a synthetic cannabinoid (spice). Asian J Psychiatr. 25:127–130.
  • Montesano C, Vannutelli G, Piccirilli V, Sergi M, Compagnone D, Curini R. 2017. Application of a rapid μ-SPE clean-up for multiclass quantitative analysis of sixteen new psychoactive substances in whole blood by LC-MS/MS. Talanta. 167:260–267.
  • Moran CL, Le VH, Chimalakonda KC, Smedley AL, Lackey FD, Owen SN, Kennedy PD, Endres GW, Ciske FL, Kramer JB, et al. 2011. Quantitative measurement of JWH-018 and JWH-073 metabolites excreted in human urine. Anal Chem. 83(11):4228–4236.
  • Moritz E, Austin C, Wahl M, DesLauriers C, Navon L, Walblay K, Hendrickson M, Phillips A, Kerins J, Pennington AF, et al. 2018. Notes from the field: outbreak of severe illness linked to the vitamin K antagonist brodifacoum and use of synthetic cannabinoids - Illinois, March-April 2018. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 67(21):607–608.
  • Musah RA, Domin MA, Cody RB, Lesiak AD, John Dane A, Shepard J. 2012. Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry with collision-induced dissociation for structural analysis of synthetic cannabinoids. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 26(19):2335–2342.
  • Musah RA, Domin MA, Walling MA, Shepard J. 2012. Rapid identification of synthetic cannabinoids in herbal samples via direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 26(9):1109–1114.
  • Nagarkatti P, Pandey R, Rieder SA, Hegde VL, Nagarkatti M. 2009. Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs. Future Med Chem. 1(7):1333–1349.
  • Nakajima J, Takahashi M, Nonaka R, Seto T, Suzuki J, Yoshida M, Kanai C, Hamano T. 2011. Identification and quantitation of a benzoylindole (2-methoxyphenyl)(1-pentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)methanone and a naphthoylindole 1-(5-fluoropentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-(naphthalene-1-yl)methanone (AM-2201) found in illegal products obtained via the Internet and their cannabimimetic effects evaluated by in vitro [35S]GTPγS binding assays [journal article]. Forensic Toxicol. 29(2):132–141.
  • Niaz K, Khan F, Maqbool F, Momtaz SI, Hassan F, Nobakht-Haghighi N, Rahimifard M, Abdollahi M. 2017. Endo-cannabinoids system and the toxicity of cannabinoids with a biotechnological approach. Excli J. 16:688–711.
  • Nicolussi S, Gertsch J. 2015. Endocannabinoid transport revisited. Vitam Horm. 98:441–485.
  • Nielsen LM, Holm NB, Olsen L, Linnet K. 2016. Cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of the synthetic cannabinoids UR-144 and XLR-11. Drug Test Anal. 8(8):792–800.
  • Obafemi AI, Kleinschmidt K, Goto C, Fout D. 2015. Cluster of acute toxicity from ingestion of synthetic cannabinoid-laced brownies. J Med Toxicol. 11(4):426–429.
  • Palamar JJ, Acosta P. 2015. Synthetic cannabinoid use in a nationally representative sample of US high school seniors. Drug Alcohol Depend. 149:194–202.
  • Palamar JJ, Barratt MJ, Coney L, Martins SS. 2017. Synthetic cannabinoid use among high school seniors. Pediatrics. 140(4):e20171330.
  • Papaseit E, Pérez-Mañá C, Pérez-Acevedo AP, Hladun O, Torres-Moreno MC, Muga R, Torrens M, Farré M. 2018. Cannabinoids: from pot to lab. Int J Med Sci. 15(12):1286–1295.
  • Parker LA. 2017. Cannabinoids and the brain. Cambridge: MIT Press.
  • Patton AL, Chimalakonda KC, Moran CL, McCain KR, Radominska-Pandya A, James LP, Kokes C, Moran JH. 2013. K2 toxicity: fatal case of psychiatric complications following AM2201 exposure. J Forensic Sci. 58(6):1676–1680.
  • Patton AL, Seely KA, Chimalakonda KC, Tran JP, Trass M, Miranda A, Fantegrossi WE, Kennedy PD, Dobrowolski P, Radominska-Pandya A, et al. 2013. Targeted metabolomic approach for assessing human synthetic cannabinoid exposure and pharmacology. Anal Chem. 85(19):9390–9399.
  • Patton AL, Seely KA, Yarbrough AL, Fantegrossi W, James LP, McCain KR, Fujiwara R, Prather PL, Moran JH, Radominska-Pandya A. 2018. Altered metabolism of synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 by human cytochrome P450 2C9 and variants. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 498(3):597–602.
  • Pertwee RG. 2006. Cannabinoids. Vol. 168. Germany: Springer Science & Business Media. (Handb Exp Pharmacol.
  • Phillips J, Lim F, Hsu R. 2017. The emerging threat of synthetic cannabinoids. Nurs Manage. 48(3):22–30.
  • Preedy VR. 2016a. Handbook of cannabis and related pathologies: biology, pharmacology, diagnosis, and treatment. London: Elsevier Science.
  • Preedy VR. 2016b. Neuropathology of drug addictions and substance misuse volume 1: foundations of understanding, tobacco, alcohol, cannabinoids and opioids. London: Elsevier Science.
  • Presley B, Varnum S, Logan B. 2013. Analysis of synthetic cannabinoids in botanical material. A review of analytical methods and findings. Forensic Sci Rev. 25(1–2):27–46.
  • Riederer AM, Campleman SL, Carlson RG, Boyer EW, Manini AF, Wax PM, Brent JA, Toxicology Investigators C. 2016. Acute poisonings from synthetic cannabinoids - 50 U.S. Toxicology Investigators Consortium Registry Sites, 2010–2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 65(27):692–695.
  • Robinson L, Goonawardena AV, Pertwee RG, Hampson RE, Riedel G. 2007. The synthetic cannabinoid HU210 induces spatial memory deficits and suppresses hippocampal firing rate in rats. Br J Pharmacol. 151(5):688–700.
  • Sacco LN, Finklea K. 2016. Synthetic drugs: overview and issues for congress. Congressional Research Service. [accessed 2019 Jun 19]. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R42066.html#_Toc450055245.
  • Salomone A. 2015. Chapter 11 - Detection of new psychoactive substances. In: Kintz P, Salomone A, Vincenti M, editors. Hair analysis in clinical and forensic toxicology. Boston: Academic Press; p. 301–336.
  • SAMHSA. 2012. The DAWN report: drug-related emergency department visits involving synthetic cannabinoids. substance abuse and mental health services administration. Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. [accessed 2019 May 8]. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/DAWN105/DAWN105/SR105-synthetic-marijuana.pdf.
  • Sanders AN, Stogner JM. 2016. Chapter 6, a profile of synthetic cannabinoid users. In: Preedy VR, editor. Handbook of cannabis and related pathologies: biology, pharmacology, diagnosis, and treatment. London, UK: Elsevier Science; p. 53–60.
  • Schaefer N, Kettner M, Laschke MW, Schlote J, Ewald AH, Menger MD, Maurer HH, Schmidt PH. 2017. Distribution of synthetic cannabinoids JWH-210, RCS-4 and Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol after intravenous administration to pigs. Curr Neuropharmacol. 15(5):713–723.
  • Schoeder CT, Hess C, Madea B, Meiler J, Müller CE. 2018. Pharmacological evaluation of new constituents of “Spice”: synthetic cannabinoids based on indole, indazole, benzimidazole and carbazole scaffolds. Forensic Toxicol. 36(2):385–403.
  • Scourfield A, Flick C, Ross J, Wood DM, Thurtle N, Stellmach D, Dargan PI. 2019. Synthetic cannabinoid availability on darknet drug markets—changes during 2016–2017. Toxicol Commun. 3(1):7–15.
  • Seely KA, Brents LK, Franks LN, Rajasekaran M, Zimmerman SM, Fantegrossi WE, Prather PL. 2012. AM-251 and rimonabant act as direct antagonists at mu-opioid receptors: implications for opioid/cannabinoid interaction studies. Neuropharmacology. 63(5):905–915.
  • Seyit M, Ozen M, Oskay A, Kadioglu E. 2016. Effectiveness of the synthetic cannabinoids seminar. Turk J Emerg Med. 16(2):57–59.
  • Shanks KG, Dahn T, Terrell AR. 2012. Detection of JWH-018 and JWH-073 by UPLC-MS-MS in postmortem whole blood casework. J Anal Toxicol. 36(3):145–152.
  • Shevyrin V, Melkozerov V, Endres GW, Shafran Y, Morzherin Y. 2016. On a new cannabinoid classification system: a sight on the illegal market of novel psychoactive substances. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 1(1):186–194.
  • Shevyrin VA, Morzherin YY. 2015. Cannabinoids: structures, effects, and classification [journal article. Russ Chem Bull. 64(6):1249–1266.
  • Shim JY, Welsh WJ, Howlett AC. 2003. Homology model of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor: sites critical for nonclassical cannabinoid agonist interaction. Biopolymers. 71(2):169–189.
  • Shivangi Bajpai AS. 2016. Cannabis sativa: therapeutic chemistry and classification. RRJPA. 5(3):126–135.
  • Sim J, Cho HS, Lee J, In S, Kim E. 2017. Determination of AB-CHMINACA and its metabolites in human hair and their deposition in hair of abusers. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 140:162–168.
  • Sobolevsky T, Prasolov I, Rodchenkov G. 2010. Detection of JWH-018 metabolites in smoking mixture post-administration urine. Forensic Sci Int. 200(1-3):141–147.
  • Sobolevsky T, Prasolov I, Rodchenkov G. 2015. Study on the phase I metabolism of novel synthetic cannabinoids, APICA and its fluorinated analogue. Drug Test Anal. 7(2):131–142.
  • Spaderna M, Addy PH, D'Souza DC. 2013. Spicing things up: synthetic cannabinoids. Psychopharmacology (Berl).). 228(4):525–540.
  • Strano-Rossi S, Anzillotti L, Dragoni S, Pellegrino RM, Goracci L, Pascali VL, Cruciani G. 2014. Metabolism of JWH-015, JWH-098, JWH-251, and JWH-307 in silico and in vitro: a pilot study for the detection of unknown synthetic cannabinoids metabolites. Anal Bioanal Chem. 406(15):3621–3636.
  • Synthetic Cannabonoid Data. 2019. American Association of Poison Control Centers. [accessed 2019 Aug 7]. https://www.aapcc.org/track/synthetic-cannabinoids.
  • Tai S, Fantegrossi WE. 2014. Synthetic cannabinoids: pharmacology, behavioral effects, and abuse potential. Curr Addict Rep. 1(2):129–136.
  • Tai S, Fantegrossi WE. 2017. Pharmacological and toxicological effects of synthetic cannabinoids and their metabolites. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 32:249–262.
  • Tait RJ, Caldicott D, Mountain D, Hill SL, Lenton S. 2016. A systematic review of adverse events arising from the use of synthetic cannabinoids and their associated treatment. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 54(1):1–13.
  • Tarzia G, Duranti A, Tontini A, Spadoni G, Mor M, Rivara S, Vincenzo Plazzi P, Kathuria S, Piomelli D. 2003. Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of a series of pyrrole cannabinoid receptor agonists. Bioorg Med Chem. 11(18):3965–3973.
  • Teske J, Weller JP, Fieguth A, Rothamel T, Schulz Y, Troger HD. 2010. Sensitive and rapid quantification of the cannabinoid receptor agonist naphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone (JWH-018) in human serum by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 878(27):2659–2663.
  • Tettey JN, Levissianos S. 2017. The global emergence of NPS: an analysis of a new drug trend. In: Corazza O, Roman-Urrestarazu A, editors. Novel psychoactive substances: policy, economics and drug regulation. Cham: Springer International Publishing; p. 1–12.
  • Thomas BF, ElSohly M. 2015. The analytical chemistry of cannabis: quality assessment. Assurance, and regulation of medicinal Marijuana and cannabinoid preparations. UK: Elsevier Science.
  • Toennes SW, Geraths A, Pogoda W, Paulke A, Wunder C, Theunissen EL, Ramaekers JG. 2017. Pharmacokinetic properties of the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 and of its metabolites in serum after inhalation. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 140:215–222.
  • Tournebize J, Gibaja V, Kahn JP. 2017. Acute effects of synthetic cannabinoids: Update 2015. Subst Abus. 38(3):344–366.
  • United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 2019. Controlled substances - alphabetical order. [accessed 2019 Jul 15]. https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling.
  • UNODC. 2011. Synthetic cannabinoids in herbal products. [accessed 2019 Mar 10]. https://www.unodc.org/documents/scientific/Synthetic_Cannabinoids.pdf.
  • UNODC. 2013. Recommended methods for the Identification and Analysis of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists in Seized Materials. United Nations. [accessed 2019 Apr 16]. https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/scientists/recommended-methods-for-the-identification-and-analysis-of-synthetic-cannabinoid-receptor-agonists-in-seized-materials.html.
  • UNODC. 2020. Current NPS threats Volume II. United Nations. [accessed 2020 Mar 3]. https://www.unodc.org/documents/scientific/Current_NPS_Threats_Volume_II_Web.pdf.
  • van Amsterdam J, Brunt T, van den Brink W. 2015. The adverse health effects of synthetic cannabinoids with emphasis on psychosis-like effects. J Psychopharmacol (Oxford)). 29(3):254–263.
  • Verty ANA, Stefanidis A, McAinch AJ, Hryciw DH, Oldfield B. 2015. Anti-obesity effect of the CB2 receptor agonist JWH-015 in diet-induced obese mice. PloS One. 10(11):e0140592– 19.
  • Wang M, Wang Y-H, Avula B, Radwan MM, Wanas AS, Mehmedic Z, van Antwerp J, ElSohly MA, Khan IA. 2017. Quantitative determination of cannabinoids in cannabis and cannabis products using ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography and diode array. J Forensic Sci. 62(3):602–611.
  • Waugh J, Najafi J, Hawkins L, Hill SL, Eddleston M, Vale JA, Thompson JP, Thomas S. 2016. Epidemiology and clinical features of toxicity following recreational use of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists: a report from the United Kingdom National Poisons Information Service. Clin Toxicol. 54(6):512–518.
  • WHO. 2016. World Health Organization. Management of substance abuse: cannabis. [accessed 2020 Mar 3]. https://www.who.int/substance_abuse/facts/cannabis/en.2016.
  • Wiley JL, Marusich JA, Huffman JW, Balster RL, Thomas BF. 2011. Hijacking of basic research: the case of synthetic cannabinoids. Methods report (RTI Press). doi:10.3768/rtipress.2011.op.0007.1111.
  • Wiley JL, Marusich JA, Lefever TW, Antonazzo KR, Wallgren MT, Cortes RA, Patel PR, Grabenauer M, Moore KN, Thomas BF. 2015. AB-CHMINACA, AB-PINACA, and FUBIMINA: affinity and potency of novel synthetic cannabinoids in producing δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-like effects in mice. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 354(3):328–339.
  • Wurita A, Hasegawa K, Minakata K, Gonmori K, Nozawa H, Yamagishi I, Suzuki O, Watanabe K. 2016. Identification and quantification of metabolites of AB-CHMINACA in a urine specimen of an abuser. Leg Med (Tokyo)). 19:113–118.
  • Zawilska JB, Wojcieszak J. 2014. Spice/K2 drugs-more than innocent substitutes for marijuana. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 17(3):509–525.
  • Zhang Q, Ma P, Cole R, Wang G. 2006. Identification of in vitro metabolites of JWH-015, an aminoalkylindole agonist for the peripheral cannabinoid receptor (CB2) by HPLC-MS/MS. Anal Bioanal Chem. 386(5):1345–1355.
  • Zhang Q, Ma P, Iszard M, Cole RB, Wang W, Wang G. 2002. In vitro metabolism of R(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-[(morpholinyl)methyl]pyrrolo [1,2,3-de]1,4-benzoxazinyl]-(1-naphthalenyl) methanone mesylate, a Cannabinoid Receptor Agonist. Drug Metab Dispos. 30(10):1077–1086.
  • Zhang Q, Ma P, Wang W, Cole RB, Wang G. 2004. Characterization of rat liver microsomal metabolites of AM-630, a potent cannabinoid receptor antagonist, by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. J Mass Spectrom. 39(6):672–681.
  • Zimmermann US, Winkelmann PR, Pilhatsch M, Nees JA, Spanagel R, Schulz K. 2009. Withdrawal phenomena and dependence syndrome after the consumption of “spice gold. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 106(27):464–467.
  • Zou S, Kumar U. 2018. Cannabinoid receptors and the endocannabinoid system: signaling and function in the central nervous system. Int J Mol Sci. 19(3):833.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.