{"title":"The discovery of phenibut in a commercially available product in Richmond, VA: A case study","authors":"James H. Fleming , Emanuele A. Alves","doi":"10.1016/j.forc.2023.100537","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Phenibut is an anxiolytic and nootropic substance with GABA-mimetic properties. Phenibut is readily available on the Internet and is not a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act in the United States. Adverse effects of phenibut include tremors, decreased appetite, agitation, and insomnia. In this study, a sample was obtained from a tobacco shop in Richmond, Virginia. The product was labeled as “Moon Water” and contained a yellow liquid. The Moon Water sample label content promotes energy and focus properties. Labeled ingredients included filtered water, fructose, citric acid, <2 % ascorbic acid, maltodextrin, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium citrate, magnesium oxide, calcium fumarate, artificial color, and tocopherol.</p><p>The Moon Water sample was screened using Direct Analysis in Real Time-Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) for the detection of active compounds not described in the label. Phenibut and other substances absent from the label such as caffeine were detected with DART-MS analysis. Their presence was confirmed using GC–MS.</p><p>Phenibut exhibits agonism at the GABA receptors, specifically the GABA<sub>B</sub> receptor. High doses of phenibut can result in combativeness, delirium, and aggression. Phenibut usage can result in dependence and subsequent withdrawal, with effects ranging from anger, irritability, insomnia, decreased appetite, and heart palpitations. This work highlights the need for proper regulation of commercially available products, specifically those sold in smoke and tobacco shops. The presence of psychoactive substances that are not labeled on the product are a public health concern and an utmost risk to the consumer.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":324,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Chemistry","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100537"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2023-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Forensic Chemistry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468170923000735","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, ANALYTICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Phenibut is an anxiolytic and nootropic substance with GABA-mimetic properties. Phenibut is readily available on the Internet and is not a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act in the United States. Adverse effects of phenibut include tremors, decreased appetite, agitation, and insomnia. In this study, a sample was obtained from a tobacco shop in Richmond, Virginia. The product was labeled as “Moon Water” and contained a yellow liquid. The Moon Water sample label content promotes energy and focus properties. Labeled ingredients included filtered water, fructose, citric acid, <2 % ascorbic acid, maltodextrin, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium citrate, magnesium oxide, calcium fumarate, artificial color, and tocopherol.
The Moon Water sample was screened using Direct Analysis in Real Time-Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) for the detection of active compounds not described in the label. Phenibut and other substances absent from the label such as caffeine were detected with DART-MS analysis. Their presence was confirmed using GC–MS.
Phenibut exhibits agonism at the GABA receptors, specifically the GABAB receptor. High doses of phenibut can result in combativeness, delirium, and aggression. Phenibut usage can result in dependence and subsequent withdrawal, with effects ranging from anger, irritability, insomnia, decreased appetite, and heart palpitations. This work highlights the need for proper regulation of commercially available products, specifically those sold in smoke and tobacco shops. The presence of psychoactive substances that are not labeled on the product are a public health concern and an utmost risk to the consumer.
期刊介绍：
Forensic Chemistry publishes high quality manuscripts focusing on the theory, research and application of any chemical science to forensic analysis. The scope of the journal includes fundamental advancements that result in a better understanding of the evidentiary significance derived from the physical and chemical analysis of materials. The scope of Forensic Chemistry will also include the application and or development of any molecular and atomic spectrochemical technique, electrochemical techniques, sensors, surface characterization techniques, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, chemometrics and statistics, and separation sciences (e.g. chromatography) that provide insight into the forensic analysis of materials. Evidential topics of interest to the journal include, but are not limited to, fingerprint analysis, drug analysis, ignitable liquid residue analysis, explosives detection and analysis, the characterization and comparison of trace evidence (glass, fibers, paints and polymers, tapes, soils and other materials), ink and paper analysis, gunshot residue analysis, synthetic pathways for drugs, toxicology and the analysis and chemistry associated with the components of fingermarks. The journal is particularly interested in receiving manuscripts that report advances in the forensic interpretation of chemical evidence. Technology Readiness Level: When submitting an article to Forensic Chemistry, all authors will be asked to self-assign a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) to their article. The purpose of the TRL system is to help readers understand the level of maturity of an idea or method, to help track the evolution of readiness of a given technique or method, and to help filter published articles by the expected ease of implementation in an operation setting within a crime lab.
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