BOH-PHP (BOH-Pyrrolidinohexiophenone) is a derivative of the class of α-pyrrolidinophenones, a subgroup of synthetic cathinones. These substances are the second most abused drugs of new psychoactive substances.

we report toxicological investigation of  series  authentic forensic and clinical cases.

with analytically confirmed intake of BOH-PHP (BOH-Pyrrolidinohexiophenone) including two cases of drug testing in newborns use meconium.

The age range of subjects where serum samples were available was 23-51 years (median 39.5), and 90% were male. Serum BOH-PHP (BOH-Pyrrolidinohexiophenone) concentrations, determined by  validated LC-MS-MS method.showed  high variability ranging from 1 to 83 ng/mL (mean, 40 ng/mL; median, 36 ng/mL).

Comprehensive toxicological analysis revealed co-consumption of other psychotropic drugs in almost all cases with frequent occurrence of opiates (60%), benzodiazepines (35%), cannabinoids (30%), and cocaine (20%).

Hence, forensic and clinical symptom like aggressive behavior, sweating, delayed physical response, and impaired balance could not be explaine by the abuse of α-PHP alone but rather by poly-intoxication.

Liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were use to investigate the metabolism of α-PHP in vivo using authentic human urine samples. Altogether, 11 phase I metabolites and 5 phase II glucuronide could be identifie by this approach. Apart from the parent drug, most abundant findings in urine were the metabolites dihydroxy-pyrrolidinyl-α-PHP and dihydro-α-PHP and, to a lesser extent, 2′-oxo-dihydro-α-PHP and 2′-oxo-α-PHP. Monitoring of these metabolites along with the parent drug in forensic and clinical toxicology could unambiguously prove the abuse of the novel designer drug α-PHP.