Determination of drugs in exhumed liver and brain tissue after over 9  years of burial by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry—Part 2: Benzodiazepines, opioids, and further drugs

This paper may serve as reference for exhumations with a postmortem interval of more than 9.5 years in which an investigation of benzodiazepines, opioids, and further drugs is performed. The benzodiazepines diazepam, its metabolites, 7 ‐aminoflunitrazepam, and midazolam as well as all opioids (like fentanyl, morphine, and tramadol), and 4‐aminoantipyrine, 4‐methylaminoantipyrine, ambroxol, amitriptyline, its metabolite nortriptyline, bupivacaine, etomidate, glibenclamide, nortriptyline, its metabolite amitriptyline, pantopra zole, promethazine, propofol, rocuronium, and ropivacaine were detectable in liver and brain samples after 9.5–16.5 years of burial. AbstractIn this publication, benzodiazepines, opioids, and further drugs were analyzed in exhumed brain and liver tissue samples in 116 cases (total) after 9.5 –16.5 years of burial. Solid phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was applied. Data from literature is listed summarizing the detectability of the presented analytes after a certain time of burial. In our study, 60% of the analyzed benzodiazepines, 100% o f the opioids, and 82% of further drugs were detectable. Only the benzodiazepines lorazepam, nitrazepam, flunitrazepam, and its metabolite norflunitrazepam, and the drugs butylscopolamine, metronidazole, and omeprazole were not detectable at all. Percentage of positive findings (total, and separatel y for brain and liver tissue) and postmortem period are listed for...
Source: Drug Testing and Analysis - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research