Pharmacokinetic and toxicological evaluation of AB-CHMINACA in rodents: A comprehensive study

AB-CHMINACA is a synthetic cannabinoid of forensic and toxicological concern, but its pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and toxicity have not been comprehensively characterized. This study developed and validated a GC-MS/MS method to quantify AB-CHMINACA and used it, alongside LC-QTOF-MS metabolite identification, to evaluate the compound’s pharmacokinetics and acute toxicity in Wistar rats and Swiss albino mice following oral gavage, with pharmacokinetic parameters calculated in Phoenix WinNonlin. The analytical method met FDA validation guidelines for linearity, precision, and accuracy, and pharmacokinetic analysis revealed biphasic elimination with a half-life of about 14 hours; four major Phase I metabolites were identified, with a di-hydroxy metabolite predominating in urine. Acute toxicity testing showed dose-dependent behavioral effects, including lethargy, seizures, and mortality at higher doses. These findings add to the forensic toxicology evidence base for AB-CHMINACA and clarify its metabolic and toxicological profile.