Distribution of Morphine in Body Fluids and Tissues in Fatal Overdose

Chan, Shun‐Hsiang; Chan, E.; Kaliciak, Henry A.

doi:10.1520/jfs11930j

Cited by 23 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The redistribution potential of morphine can be seen with the 'reservoir' tissues for morphine. Higher concentration of free morphine (when compared to blood samples) have been observed in humans in lung [45], liver [46,47], muscle [46] and myocardium [48] thus potentially setting up a concentration gradients in which morphine can diffuse. This human data is mirrored in the animal studies in which free morphine was again found in higher concentrations than femoral blood in liver, muscle, lung, kidney [this study, [9,49]].…”

Section: Postmortem Morphine Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem redistribution of the heroin metabolites morphine and morphine-3-glucuronide in rabbits over 24 h

Maskell

Albeishy²,

Paoli

et al. 2015

Int J Legal Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The interpretation of postmortem drug levels is complicated by changes in drug blood levels in the postmortem period, a phenomena known as postmortem drug redistribution. We investigated the postmortem redistribution of the heroin metabolites morphine and morphine-3-glucuronide in a rabbit model. Heroin (1mg/kg) was injected into anesthetised rabbit, after 1 hour an auricular vein blood sample was taken and the rabbit was euthanised. Following death rabbits were placed in a supine position at room temperature and divided into 3 groups namely 1) immediate autopsy, 2) autopsy after 30 minutes and 3) autopsy 24 h after death. Various samples which included femoral

show abstract

Section: Postmortem Morphine Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem redistribution of the heroin metabolites morphine and morphine-3-glucuronide in rabbits over 24 h

Maskell

Albeishy²,

Paoli

et al. 2015

Int J Legal Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Significant increases in morphine levels up to 1900% have been found in the heart, forebrain and liver 96 h after death [19]. In humans, concentrations of total morphine greater than those in blood were found in the lungs [20], liver [21,22], and bile [22], while concentrations in muscle tissue were similar to those in blood [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem distribution pattern of morphine and morphine glucuronides in heroin overdose

et al. 1996

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The postmortem distribution of morphine and its metabolites was investigated in four cases of heroin overdose to evaluate some of the factors that influence intravasal blood concentrations. Variables included were the chemical stability of morphine conjugates, hemoconcentration, incomplete distribution of the drug and diffusion processes. Blood samples from different sampling sites including the aorta, the infra- and suprarenal portion of the inferior vena cava, the superior vena cava, the femoral and subclavian veins, and the right and left ventricles were examined for morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide and morphine-6-glucuronide, hematocrit and water content. Drug concentrations were determined by HPLC based on the native fluorescence of the analytes. Morphine glucuronides proved to be stable for a time period of 72 h. The water content ranged from 65 to 83% and hematocrit values from 25 to 75%, and were seen as contributory factors to the dramatic differences observed for drug concentrations from different sampling sites. The differences could neither be attributed to incomplete distribution during life-time nor to a diffusion process following the different distribution volumes of morphine and its conjugates. A definite relationship between the ratio of the molar concentrations of morphine and its glucuronides, as assessed in pharmacokinetical studies after morphine dosing, could not be established. For a better understanding more cases and changes over time and tissue concentrations should be analysed.

show abstract

“…In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the development of methodologies for detecting drugs of abuse in alternative biological matrices, although the analysis of these specimens is limited by many factors including putrefaction, sample homogenization and complexity, time-consuming techniques and analytical and chromatographic problems [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. tissues, such as the liver and kidney have been long used in post mortem toxicology analysis, especially in those cases where blood is unavailable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…the extraction of the compounds from within these matrices is the major problem in forensic toxicology, due to potentially interfering substances. the liver and kidney are suitable tissues to prepare homogenates but they contain high concentrations of lipids, which may interfere in analytical procedures [12,[14][15][16][17][18][19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative Matrices: a case report

Margalho¹,

Castanheira²,

Ajenjo³

et al. 2010

Acta Medicinae Legalis Et Socialis

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A navegação consulta e descarregamento dos títulos inseridos nas Bibliotecas Digitais UC Digitalis, UC Pombalina e UC Impactum, pressupõem a aceitação plena e sem reservas dos Termos e Condições de Uso destas Bibliotecas Digitais, disponíveis em https://digitalis.uc.pt/pt-pt/termos. Conforme exposto nos referidos Termos e Condições de Uso, o descarregamento de títulos de acesso restrito requer uma licença válida de autorização devendo o utilizador aceder ao(s) documento(s) a partir de um endereço de IP da instituição detentora da supramencionada licença. Ao utilizador é apenas permitido o descarregamento para uso pessoal, pelo que o emprego do(s) título(s) descarregado(s) para outro fim, designadamente comercial, carece de autorização do respetivo autor ou editor da obra. Na medida em que todas as obras da UC Digitalis se encontram protegidas pelo Código do Direito de Autor e Direitos Conexos e demais legislação aplicável, toda a cópia, parcial ou total, deste documento, nos casos em que é legalmente admitida, deverá conter ou fazer-se acompanhar por este aviso.

show abstract

Distribution of Morphine in Body Fluids and Tissues in Fatal Overdose

Abstract: Two cases of fatal overdose with morphine are presented. Large amounts of the drug were involved in both cases, one by oral ingestion, the other by intravenous injection. Morphine concentrations in various body fluids and tissues are compared to those in the literature.

Cited by 23 publications

References 4 publications

Postmortem redistribution of the heroin metabolites morphine and morphine-3-glucuronide in rabbits over 24 h

Postmortem redistribution of the heroin metabolites morphine and morphine-3-glucuronide in rabbits over 24 h

Postmortem distribution pattern of morphine and morphine glucuronides in heroin overdose

Alternative Matrices: a case report

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About