The forensic toxicology of 2,5-dimethoxy-4-n-propylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-7)

The drug 2C-T-7 is a little known hallucinogen that appeared on the streets in the late 1990s as a recreation drug. 2C-T-7 has been associated with one death in Oklahoma. The decedent died in route to the emergency room and was taken as a Medical Examiner case due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. Initial screening of urine revealed an unidentified mass spectrum that was later identified as 2C-T-7. Identification and analysis was initially complicated by the difficulty in obtaining a drug standard and the lack of an analytical method.;The analytical method was developed and the decedent's blood and tissues were assayed for 2C-T-7, using specimens taken at autopsy and stored refrigerated (blood) or frozen (tissues).;The purposes of our studies are to create a context for the interpretation of postmortem concentrations of 2C-T-7 and more fully understand the mechanism(s) though which the mortality occurred. To accomplish this, a four part study was done using Sprague-Dawley rats.;The blood and tissue distributions were determined and were used to calculate a V/f of 19 L/Kg and a half-life of 69 minutes. Analysis of 6-48 hour rat urine samples indicated less than 2% of the unchanged drug is excreted through the kidneys. Bacterial beta glucuronidase was used to hydrolyze rat urine samples (n=5) taken from the dosing to 17 hour fraction. The results demonstrated significant glucuronidation of 2C-T-7 showing a 100 and 200% increase of 2-C-T-7 in 2 of 5 rats. The changes in core body temperature were assessed after intraperitoneal administration of 2C-T-7, demonstrating an acute hypothermic response with decreases up to 2.5° C. In refrigerated NaF preserved whole blood 2C-T-7 was stable up to 70 days, but concentrations of 2C-T-7 decreased significantly by 6 months. The redistribution experiments show increases in blood concentrations in intact rat bodies after 5.5 hours, peaking at 16 hours and decreasing by 48 hours compared to the control groups. During the above experiments unique pathological changes caused by 2C-T-7 in rat lung arterioles were discovered. Sections of rat lung were examined microscopically revealing arteriole constriction and endothelial vacuolization.