Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40102319›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical toxicology : official journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology2025

An Outbreak of Synthetic Cannabinoid-Adulterated Tianeptine Products in New Jersey - Case Series.

Christopher J Counts, Anthony V Spadaro, Trevor A Cerbini, Alex J Krotulski, Sara E Walton, Howard A Greller, Lewis S Nelson, Bruce E Ruck, Oliver Hung, Barry Logan and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical toxicology : official journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Interpol review of forensic drug chemistry, 2022-2025.Forensic science international. Synergy · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Christopher J CountsDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA. cjc501@njms.rutgers.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6524-4263
Anthony V SpadaroDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
Trevor A CerbiniDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
Alex J KrotulskiCenter for Forensic Science Research and Education, Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, Willow Grove, PA, USA.
Sara E WaltonCenter for Forensic Science Research and Education, Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, Willow Grove, PA, USA.
Howard A GrellerDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
Lewis S NelsonDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
Bruce E RuckNew Jersey Poison Information and Education System, Newark, NJ, USA.
Oliver HungMorristown Medical Center, Morristown, NJ, USA.
Barry LoganCenter for Forensic Science Research and Education, Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, Willow Grove, PA, USA.
Diane P CalelloDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTianeptine, an atypical antidepressant not approved in the United States, is readily purchased from unregulated markets such as the internet and gas stations. We became aware of a cluster of 34 patients in New Jersey who became ill following ingestion of the tianeptine containing-product Neptune's Fix, the rate of which (4.6 cases per month) far exceeded the background rate for this substance of 0.5 cases per year.

methodsWe retrospectively identified tianeptine exposures reported to the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System (NJPIES) prior to June 2023 to determine the background rate of tianeptine exposure. From June 2023- February 2024 we prospectively surveilled tianeptine exposures reported to NJPIES, recorded demographic and clinical information, and recruited samples for testing. Six samples of the ingested products were obtained and analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS). Whole blood samples from two patients were tested for tianeptine and synthetic cannabinoids.

resultsDuring the period of interest, NJPIES received 41 exposure calls, with 37 reporting acute toxicity in 34 unique patients, two reporting chronic tianeptine use, and two reporting withdrawal. Among the 37 exposures resulting in acute toxicity, commonly reported effects included altered mental status, tachycardia, hypotension, and seizures. 43% (n = 16) were intubated, and 65% (n = 24) were admitted to the ICU. Analytical testing of six samples identified variable product composition, containing various xenobiotics including tianeptine, kava alkaloids, natural cannabinoids, and the synthetic cannabinoids MDMB-4en-PINACA and ADB-4en-PINACA. MDMB-4en-PINACA was detected in one of the two patient blood specimens.

conclusionsThese cases represent a marked increase in tianeptine exposures compared with the poison center's historical average. Analytical testing revealed variable product composition, including the presence of synthetic cannabinoids. Clinicians should be aware that tianeptine containing products are widely available, unregulated, and can be adulterated.

Indexed as

Antidepressive Agents, TricyclicCannabinoidsThiazepinesAdolescentAdultAgedDisease OutbreaksFemaleGas Chromatography-Mass SpectrometryHumansMaleMiddle AgedNew JerseyPoison Control CentersRetrospective StudiesYoung AdultAntidepressive Agents, TricyclicCannabinoidsThiazepinestianeptineCannabinoidOutbreakTianeptine

Identifiers

PMID40102319
PMCPMC11933608

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.