SCRAs with a “Brand” New Look: In Vitro Cannabinoid Activity Profiling of Generic Ban-Evading Brominated Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists and their Analogs

Introduction: Since the enactment of the Chinese generic ban (2021), the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist (SCRA) market has vastly changed and now encompasses unexpected, ban-evading structures such as brominated and tail-less compounds. Methods: Six new SCRAs were functionally characterized a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: M.H. Deventer, M. Persson, C. Norman, H. Liu, M. Connolly, N.N. Daeid, C. McKenzie, H. Green, C.P. Stove
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667118223000387
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850256736877805568
author M.H. Deventer
M. Persson
C. Norman
H. Liu
M. Connolly
N.N. Daeid
C. McKenzie
H. Green
C.P. Stove
author_facet M.H. Deventer
M. Persson
C. Norman
H. Liu
M. Connolly
N.N. Daeid
C. McKenzie
H. Green
C.P. Stove
author_sort M.H. Deventer
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Since the enactment of the Chinese generic ban (2021), the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist (SCRA) market has vastly changed and now encompasses unexpected, ban-evading structures such as brominated and tail-less compounds. Methods: Six new SCRAs were functionally characterized at CB1 and CB2 using 2 distinct activity-based assays, monitoring βarr2 recruitment (NanoBiT® assay) and Ca2+ mobilization (AequoScreen® assay). Results: Brominated, tailed SCRAs (ADB-5’Br-BUTINACA, MDMB-5’Br-BUTINACA) showed high efficacy and potency at CB1. Interestingly, switching the bromine for a fluorine (ADB-5’F-BUTINACA) resulted in an even more pronounced CB activity. Tail-less, brominated compounds (ADB-5’Br-INACA, MDMB-5’Br-INACA) retained activity at both receptors, albeit with decreased potency compared to their tailed counterparts, which was confirmed in both assays. Removing the bromine group from the tail-less core resulted in decreased activity (ADB-INACA), evidencing the positive effect of bromine substitution. Conclusions: This study provides essential information for both drug law enforcement agencies and health care workers, as it can be expected that the ever-lasting cat-and-mouse game that describes the SCRA market will carry on, with the surge of new and unexpected substances remaining a great challenge for several fields.
format Article
id doaj-art-e363f42e2144425eb601987a8eaa0cde
institution OA Journals
issn 2667-1182
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health
spelling doaj-art-e363f42e2144425eb601987a8eaa0cde2025-08-20T01:56:34ZengElsevierEmerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health2667-11822024-12-01410008710.1016/j.etdah.2023.100087SCRAs with a “Brand” New Look: In Vitro Cannabinoid Activity Profiling of Generic Ban-Evading Brominated Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists and their AnalogsM.H. Deventer0M. Persson1C. Norman2H. Liu3M. Connolly4N.N. Daeid5C. McKenzie6H. Green7C.P. Stove8Ghent University, BelgiumGhent University, BelgiumGhent University, BelgiumGhent University, BelgiumGhent University, BelgiumGhent University, BelgiumGhent University, BelgiumGhent University, BelgiumGhent University, BelgiumIntroduction: Since the enactment of the Chinese generic ban (2021), the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist (SCRA) market has vastly changed and now encompasses unexpected, ban-evading structures such as brominated and tail-less compounds. Methods: Six new SCRAs were functionally characterized at CB1 and CB2 using 2 distinct activity-based assays, monitoring βarr2 recruitment (NanoBiT® assay) and Ca2+ mobilization (AequoScreen® assay). Results: Brominated, tailed SCRAs (ADB-5’Br-BUTINACA, MDMB-5’Br-BUTINACA) showed high efficacy and potency at CB1. Interestingly, switching the bromine for a fluorine (ADB-5’F-BUTINACA) resulted in an even more pronounced CB activity. Tail-less, brominated compounds (ADB-5’Br-INACA, MDMB-5’Br-INACA) retained activity at both receptors, albeit with decreased potency compared to their tailed counterparts, which was confirmed in both assays. Removing the bromine group from the tail-less core resulted in decreased activity (ADB-INACA), evidencing the positive effect of bromine substitution. Conclusions: This study provides essential information for both drug law enforcement agencies and health care workers, as it can be expected that the ever-lasting cat-and-mouse game that describes the SCRA market will carry on, with the surge of new and unexpected substances remaining a great challenge for several fields.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667118223000387
spellingShingle M.H. Deventer
M. Persson
C. Norman
H. Liu
M. Connolly
N.N. Daeid
C. McKenzie
H. Green
C.P. Stove
SCRAs with a “Brand” New Look: In Vitro Cannabinoid Activity Profiling of Generic Ban-Evading Brominated Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists and their Analogs
Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health
title SCRAs with a “Brand” New Look: In Vitro Cannabinoid Activity Profiling of Generic Ban-Evading Brominated Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists and their Analogs
title_full SCRAs with a “Brand” New Look: In Vitro Cannabinoid Activity Profiling of Generic Ban-Evading Brominated Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists and their Analogs
title_fullStr SCRAs with a “Brand” New Look: In Vitro Cannabinoid Activity Profiling of Generic Ban-Evading Brominated Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists and their Analogs
title_full_unstemmed SCRAs with a “Brand” New Look: In Vitro Cannabinoid Activity Profiling of Generic Ban-Evading Brominated Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists and their Analogs
title_short SCRAs with a “Brand” New Look: In Vitro Cannabinoid Activity Profiling of Generic Ban-Evading Brominated Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists and their Analogs
title_sort scras with a brand new look in vitro cannabinoid activity profiling of generic ban evading brominated synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists and their analogs
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667118223000387
work_keys_str_mv AT mhdeventer scraswithabrandnewlookinvitrocannabinoidactivityprofilingofgenericbanevadingbrominatedsyntheticcannabinoidreceptoragonistsandtheiranalogs
AT mpersson scraswithabrandnewlookinvitrocannabinoidactivityprofilingofgenericbanevadingbrominatedsyntheticcannabinoidreceptoragonistsandtheiranalogs
AT cnorman scraswithabrandnewlookinvitrocannabinoidactivityprofilingofgenericbanevadingbrominatedsyntheticcannabinoidreceptoragonistsandtheiranalogs
AT hliu scraswithabrandnewlookinvitrocannabinoidactivityprofilingofgenericbanevadingbrominatedsyntheticcannabinoidreceptoragonistsandtheiranalogs
AT mconnolly scraswithabrandnewlookinvitrocannabinoidactivityprofilingofgenericbanevadingbrominatedsyntheticcannabinoidreceptoragonistsandtheiranalogs
AT nndaeid scraswithabrandnewlookinvitrocannabinoidactivityprofilingofgenericbanevadingbrominatedsyntheticcannabinoidreceptoragonistsandtheiranalogs
AT cmckenzie scraswithabrandnewlookinvitrocannabinoidactivityprofilingofgenericbanevadingbrominatedsyntheticcannabinoidreceptoragonistsandtheiranalogs
AT hgreen scraswithabrandnewlookinvitrocannabinoidactivityprofilingofgenericbanevadingbrominatedsyntheticcannabinoidreceptoragonistsandtheiranalogs
AT cpstove scraswithabrandnewlookinvitrocannabinoidactivityprofilingofgenericbanevadingbrominatedsyntheticcannabinoidreceptoragonistsandtheiranalogs