Forensic Identification of Black Market Melanotan II and Bremelanotide Using Mass Spectrometry | Research

The takeaway

Forensic scientists used high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify melanotan II and bremelanotide in eight confiscated black market samples seized alongside anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

8 seized samples
Police-confiscated samples from the bodybuilding black market were confirmed to contain melanotan II and bremelanotide using mass spectrometry alone

What the researchers found

Using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), researchers successfully identified melanotan II and bremelanotide in 8 confiscated samples without requiring reference standards.

Identification was achieved through three complementary approaches: accurate mass measurement of protonated molecular ions (MH+), analysis of isotopic patterns and relative isotopic abundance (RIA) values, and accurate mass measurement of collision-induced fragment ions.

The samples had been confiscated by police alongside anabolic steroids, hormone modulators, sexual enhancers, and stimulants — illustrating that these peptides circulate within the broader black market for performance and image-enhancing drugs (PIEDs).

Why it matters

The black market for peptides is largely unregulated, and buyers have no way to verify what they're actually injecting. Forensic labs need reliable methods to identify these compounds when they're seized by law enforcement. This study demonstrates that high-resolution mass spectrometry can identify peptide PIEDs without reference standards — a critical capability since many black market peptides don't have commercially available reference materials for forensic testing.

The numbers in context

8 samples; melanotan II + bremelanotide identified; LC-HRMS Orbitrap; MH+ accurate mass; isotopic patterns; fragmentation analysis

How the study worked

Eight unknown samples confiscated by police were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution/high-accuracy Orbitrap mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Compounds were characterized through accurate mass measurements, isotopic pattern analysis, relative isotopic abundance calculations, and collision-induced dissociation (fragmentation) experiments. No certified reference standards were used — identification was based entirely on structural characterization from mass spectrometric data.

Who was studied

N/A (forensic analysis of confiscated substances)

What this study cannot tell us

This is a forensic characterization study only — no quantification of purity, potency, or contaminants was performed. No assessment of health risks from the confiscated products was conducted. Only 8 samples were analyzed, and only two peptide compounds were identified. The study doesn't address whether the products contained the labeled doses or had dangerous impurities.

How to read the evidence

This is a forensic analytical chemistry study demonstrating a method's capability on real-world seized samples. It is technically rigorous for its purpose (compound identification) but does not constitute clinical or biological evidence about these peptides' effects or safety.

When this study was published

Published in 2021, this is a relatively recent study reflecting ongoing efforts to develop forensic methods for the growing black market in unregulated peptides. The LC-HRMS methods described remain current best practice for forensic peptide identification.

The bigger picture

The illegal peptide market has grown rapidly, with melanotan II being one of the most commonly sold unregulated peptides worldwide. Unlike traditional drugs of abuse, many peptides lack established forensic testing methods. This study contributes to building the forensic toolkit for peptide identification — an increasingly important need as peptide use in bodybuilding, cosmetic, and sexual enhancement markets continues to expand outside medical supervision.

Questions still open

What contaminants, degradation products, or mislabeled substances are commonly found in black market peptide products?
How prevalent is melanotan II and bremelanotide use among bodybuilders and image-conscious consumers?
Could simplified mass spectrometry methods be developed for rapid field testing of suspected peptide products by law enforcement?

Common questions

Why were melanotan II and bremelanotide found alongside bodybuilding drugs?

Melanotan II is popular in bodybuilding culture not just for tanning but also for its reported fat loss and sexual enhancement effects. Bremelanotide (the active compound in FDA-approved Vyleesi) is used for sexual function. Both are sold on the same black market channels that supply anabolic steroids and growth hormone peptides, often from the same vendors and without quality control.

Why is it significant that no reference standards were needed?

In traditional forensic testing, you need a certified pure sample of a drug (a reference standard) to compare against. Many black market peptides don't have commercially available reference standards, which previously made them difficult to identify. This study shows that advanced mass spectrometry can identify peptides from their molecular fingerprint alone, expanding what forensic labs can detect.

Read the original research

LC-HRMS characterization of the skin pigmentation and sexual enhancers melanotan II and bremelanotide sold on the black market of performance and image enhancing drugs.

Drug testing and analysis, 13(4), 876-882

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Mestria, Serena; Odoardi, Sara; Frison, Giampietro; Strano Rossi, Sabina. (2021). LC-HRMS characterization of the skin pigmentation and sexual enhancers melanotan II and bremelanotide sold on the black market of performance and image enhancing drugs.. Drug testing and analysis, 13(4), 876-882. https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.2986