RATIONALE Classified by the UNODC as a top 20 plant of concern, Piper methysticum (also known as Kava) is being increasingly abused recreationally for its mind-altering effects. It is of significant forensic relevance to establish methods to rapidly identifyand quantify psychoactive compounds, especially those yet to be scheduled ascontrolled substances and which have exhibited various noteworthy health concerns. METHODS Direct analysis in real time high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS) demonstrated the ability to detect a range of kavalactones in Pipermethysticum derived products and plant material with no sample preparation. Inaddition, a validated method using calibration curves developed with a deuteratedinternal standard was used for the quantification of the psychoactive moleculeyangonin in various products. RESULTS DART-HRMS detected the protonated masses of six major kavalactonesand three flavokavains in 18 commercial Kava products. A method consistent withFDA validation guidelines was established for the quantification of yangonin in thevarious complex matrices. Implementation of this method, with an LLOQ of 5 mg/mL, enabled successful quantification of yangonin in 16 Kava products.Concentrations for solid products ranged from 2.71 to 8.99 mg/g, while that forliquid products ranged from 1.03 to 4.59 mg/mL. CONCLUSIONS Rapid identification and quantification of psychoactive smallmolecules in plant material can be accomplished using a validated DART-HRMSprotocol. This work illustrates an approach to qualitative and quantitative analysesof a wide variety of complex matrices derived from plants, and demonstrates thatthe commercially available products analyzed are P. methysticum derived and docontain psychoactive yangonin at quantifiable levels.

中文翻译：

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通过实时-高分辨率质谱的直接分析，快速检测和验证复杂植物基质中精神活性化合物的定量-在“ Kava”精神活性胡椒产品中的应用。

理由胡椒胡椒（又名卡瓦）被毒品和犯罪问题办公室列为关注的二十大植物，因其改变人心的作用而受到越来越多的消遣。建立快速鉴别和定量精神活性化合物的方法具有重要的法医学意义，尤其是那些尚未被预定为受控物质并且表现出各种值得注意的健康问题的精神活性化合物。方法实时高分辨率高分辨率质谱法（DART-HRMS）的直接分析表明，无需进行样品前处理，即可检测出从胡椒粉衍生的产品和植物材料中检测到一系列卡伐内酯的能力。另外，使用经氘化内标建立的校准曲线的有效方法被用于定量各种产品中的精神活性分子仰光宁。结果DART-HRMS在18种市售Kava产品中检测到6种主要的卡瓦内酯和3种黄酮卡瓦因的质子化质量。建立了一种与FDA验证指南相一致的方法，用于定量各种复杂基质中的仰光宁。该方法的LLOQ为5 mg / mL，可成功定量16种卡瓦产品中的仰光宁，固体产品的浓度范围为2.71至8.99 mg / g，而液体产品的浓度范围为1.03至4.59 mg / mL。结论可以使用经过验证的DART-HRMS协议对植物材料中的精神活性小分子进行快速鉴定和定量。这项工作说明了对来自植物的各种复杂基质进行定性和定量分析的方法，