Determination of Phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole Enantiomers (Levamisole/Dexamisole) in Illicit Cocaine Seizures and in the Urine of Cocaine Abusers via Chiral Capillary Gas Chromatography-Flame-Ionization Detection: Clinical and Forensic Perspectives

Illicit cocaine laboratories in South America have been adding phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomers (levamisole and/or tetramisole) to refined illicit cocaine for over 8 years. A chiral capillary gas chromatographic methodology is presented for phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomer deter...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of analytical toxicology 2012-03, Vol.36 (2), p.130-135
Main Authors: Casale, John F., Colley, Valerie L., LeGatt, Donald F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Chromatography, Gas - methods
Cocaine
Cocaine - urine
Cocaine-Related Disorders - urine
Drug addictions
Enantiomers
Flame Ionization - methods
Forensic science
Forensic Toxicology
Humans
Isomers
levamisole
Levamisole - urine
Medical sciences
Seizures
Seizures - chemically induced
Seizures - pathology
South America
Specimen Handling
Stereoisomerism
Tetramisole - urine
Toxicology
Urine
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Illicit cocaine laboratories in South America have been adding phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomers (levamisole and/or tetramisole) to refined illicit cocaine for over 8 years. A chiral capillary gas chromatographic methodology is presented for phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomer determination in illicit cocaine samples and in the urine of cocaine abusers. Illicit cocaine samples (N = 752) and urine specimens from cocaine abusers (N = 50) that contained phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole were analyzed for enantiomeric composition. Legitimate commercial preparations of phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole are either 100% levamisole or a 50:50 mixture of levamisole and dexamisole (tetramisole). Specimens that contain phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole mixtures that are other than 50:50 preparations will be enhanced in one isomer over the other, and they are referred to as either "levamisole-enhanced" or "dexamisole-enhanced". Cocaine samples were found to contain levamisole (N = 495, 66%), tetramisole (N = 143, 19%), and levamisole-enhanced enrichment (N = 114, 15%); urine specimens contained levamisole (N = 23, 46%), levamisole-enhanced enrichment (N = 10, 20%), and dexamisole-enhanced enrichment (N = 13, 26%). The toxicological and forensic aspects of these findings are discussed.
ISSN:0146-4760
1945-2403
DOI:10.1093/jat/bkr025