Larvae of the flesh fly, Boettcherisca peregrina (Robineau-Desvoidy), were reared on the tissue of rabbits to study the effects of cocaine and benzoylecognine on development rates. The rabbits were given 35, 69, and 137 mg of cocaine through cardiac puncture. From hours 30 to 70, larvae developed more rapidly on tissue containing cocaine, benzoylecognine, or both, from rabbits injected with 69 and 137 mg of cocaine than on tissue from rabbits injected with 35 mg of cocaine or no cocaine. Total development times required for pupation and adult eclosion were shortened correspondingly. Differences observed in the rate of development were sufficient to alter postmortem interval estimates based on larval development in decomposing human tissues by up to 24 h.

Larvae of Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Fabricius) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) were reared on tissues from rabbits administered different dosages of amitriptyline to study the effects of this drug on the development of this insect species. The rabbits were given 300, 600, and 1000 mg of amitriptyline via ear vein infusion. No significant differences in rates of larval growth were observed among the colonies. Durations of the larval stage were significantly longer for larvae fed on tissues from rabbits receiving amitriptyline. Larval mortality was observed to be 5.5% for the control colony, but ranged from 40.5 to 57.5% for the test colonies. Durations of the puparial stage were significantly longer for the colonies fed on tissues from the rabbits receiving the 600 and 1000 mg dosages of amitriptyline than for the control and colony fed on tissues from the rabbit receiving the 300 mg dosage. Observed differences in the durations of the larval and pupal stages from the test colonies were sufficient to alter a postmortem interval estimate by up to 77 h, if based on normal developmental patterns for this species at 26°C. Presence of amitriptyline and nortriptyline could be detected in larvae from all colonies fed on tissues from the rabbits receiving amitriptyline using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Larvae of Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Fabricius) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) were reared on tissues from rabbits administered different dosages of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine to study the effects of this drug on the development of this insect species. The rabbits were given 11, 22.5, and 67 mg of the drug via ear vein infusion. These dosages correspond to a 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 median lethal dose. Larvae from colonies fed on tissues from the rabbit receiving 67 mg and the control developed more rapidly from hours 24 through 114. The period required for completion of larval development was significantly shorter for the larvae from the colony fed on liver tissues from the rabbit receiving the 67 mg dosage. This colony also had the lowest total mortality rate during development. No significant differences were observed among the colonies in the duration of the puparial period. Analyses by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry of the larvae and empty puparial cases following base extraction detected the drug in quantities directly related to the dosage of the drug administered to the rabbits serving as a food source. These results have implications for the determination of time since death when gaged by the development of this insect species.

Larvae of Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Fabricius) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) were reared on tissues from rabbits administered different dosages of phencyclidine to study the effects of this drug on the development of this insect species. The rabbits were given 3.66, 7.31, and 14.62 mg of phencyclidine via ear vein infusion. No significant differences in larval growth rate were observed among the colonies, although the duration of the non-feeding portion of the third instar was shorter for larvae fed on tissues containing the drug. Mortality during the larval stage was directly related to the dosage of phencyclidine administered, ranging from 0 in the control colony to 29.0% in the colony fed on tissues from the rabbit receiving 14.62 mg of phencyclidine. Durations of the puparial stage were longer for colonies fed on tissues containing the drug. Presence of phencyclidine was detected in larvae from all colonies fed on tissues from rabbits receiving the phencyclidine using GC/MS.

Larvae of Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Fabricius) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) were reared on tissues from rabbits administered different dosages of methamphetamine to study the effects of this drug on development of this species. The rabbits were given 37.5, 71.4, and 142.9 mg of methamphetamine via ear vein infusion. From Hours 30 to 60, larvae feeding on tissues from rabbits receiving 71.4 and 142.9 mg of methamphetamine developed more rapidly than larvae from the control colony and those feeding on tissues from the rabbit receiving 37.5 mg of methamphetamine. The time required for pupariation was significantly greater for colonies fed on tissues from methamphetamine-dosed rabbits than for the control. These differences were sufficient to alter postmortem interval estimates based on larval development by up to 18 h and estimates based on puparial development by up to 48 h. The presence of methamphetamine or amphetamine could not be detected in Diptera larvae in this experiment using radioimmunoassay techniques, as there was a nonspecific reaction, resulting in a false positive.