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Synthesis and ?-Opioid Activity of the Primary Metabolites of Carfentanil.

ABSTRACT: Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than clinically prescribed fentanyl. The primary metabolites of carfentanil, generated from human liver microsomes, were structurally confirmed through chemical synthesis. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for ?-opioid receptor (MOR) functional activity. Of the six metabolites assayed, a major metabolite showed comparable activity to the parent opioid. Three other metabolites showed significant MOR functional activity. The availability of the metabolites could aid improvements in the analysis of biomedical samples obtained from suspected human exposures to carfentanil and development of treatment protocols.

SUBMITTER: Hsu FL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6862335 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Synthesis and μ-Opioid Activity of the Primary Metabolites of Carfentanil.

Hsu Fu-Lian FL Walz Andrew J AJ Myslinski James M JM Kong Li L Feasel Michael G MG Goralski Tyler D P TDP Rose Tim T Cooper Nicholas J NJ Roughley Neil N Timperley Christopher M CM

ACS medicinal chemistry letters 20191016 11

Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than clinically prescribed fentanyl. The primary metabolites of carfentanil, generated from human liver microsomes, were structurally confirmed through chemical synthesis. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for μ-opioid receptor (MOR) functional activity. Of the six metabolites assayed, a major metabolite showed comparable activity to the parent opioid. Three other metabolites showed significant MOR functional activity. The availa ...[more]

PMID: 31749912

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