Falsified and problematic methandienone products available online: active pharmaceutical ingredient identification by portable Raman spectrometers and quantification by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–Fourier transform mass spectrometry

This study aimed on the one hand to clarify the quality, authenticity, safety, and other issues related to products of the anabolic-androgenic steroid methandienone advertised on the Internet and personally imported to Japan and on the other hand to evaluate the use of two portable Raman spectrometers in identifying the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The study found that all n = 15 samples purchased from 14 websites were problematic regarding their package, labeling, and/or content. Specifically, one sample (6.7%) was confirmed falsified, twelve samples (80%) were found either to be falsified or unlicensed as pharmaceutical product, and two samples (13.3%) were received without information on the manufacturers’ physical address or country of origin, with one sample (6.7%) having no labeling or other accompanying information at all. Both Raman spectrometers were able to identify the API in all samples as confirmed and quantified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–Fourier transform mass spectrometry. Twelve samples contained on average less than 90% of the declared API content. By contacting national regulatory authorities in 44 countries, methandienone products were found to be approved in 1 country and not approved in 21 countries. To prevent health hazards and abuse, measures against the acquisition of anabolic-androgenic steroids from unknown sources are required. Portable Raman spectrometers may be suitable for the non-destructive and quick identification of methandienone in tablets.