Preliminary Observations of the Effects of Amitriptyline in Decomposing Tissues on the Development of Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and Implications of This Effect to Estimation of Postmortem Interval

Abstract

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).

Effect of Psychoactive Drugs on Demographic Parameters of the Blow Fly Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

“…This lack of information encompasses both laboratory experimentation and mathematical modelling applied to population dynamics. Studies performed to date have dealt exclusively with the influence of chemical substances on larval development time [11,12,16] and, more rarely, on insect successional patterns [30].…”

“…This branch of forensic science, which is especially useful when a corpse is in an advanced state of decomposition or skeletonised and its tissues and fluids are no longer suitable for toxicological analyses [5,10], deals with the investigation of the effects of drugs and toxins present in human tissues on the biology of necrophagous insects. Seminal studies have indicated that the presence of toxic substances can affect the development of necrophagous insects, for instance altering the development time in larvae of blow flies [11,12], muscid flies [13] and flesh flies [14][15][16].…”

The detection of toxic substances in entomological specimens

“…Flesh fly larvae feeding on tissues containing morphine developed more rapidly than those feeding on tissues from control. The differences observed in the rates of development were sufficient to alter post-mortem interval estimates based on larval development by up 29 h Cocaine and metabolite [14] Case report Analytical methods: RIA, GC/NPD and GC/MS Results: cocaine 0.49 µg/g, metabolite 0.03 µg/g Amitriptyline, nortriptyline [22] Experimental report: Sarcophagidae larvae were reared on tissues from rabbits administered different dosages of amitriptyline, to study the effects of this drug on the development of these insects. The rabbits were given 300, 600 (median lethal dose), and 1000 mg of amitriptyline Analytical method: HPLC Results: positive results (larval stage was longer)…”

“…The tricyclic antidepressants amitriptyline [15,20,21,22,23,28,29], trimipramine, and trazodone [23] were extracted after adding sodium hydroxide, with a LLE procedure using a heptane-isoamyl alcohol mixture, acid back-extracted, and re-extracted with toluene-isoamyl alcohol. The analysis was carried out with the HPLC technique.…”

“…In 1980, the first article about a drug, phenobarbital, was published by Beyer et al [9]. In entomological cases, other authors have also analysed drugs and narcotics, in particular triazolam, oxazepam, phenobarbital, alimemazine, clomipramine [10], bromazepam, levomepromazine and clomipramine [11], morphine and phenobarbital [12], cocaine [13,14], amitriptyline, propoxyphene and acetaminophen [15], opiates [16,17,18,19], amitriptyline and nortriptyline [20,21,22], amitriptyline, temazepam, trazodone and trimipramine [23], salicylates, paracetamol, aminohippurate, amphetamines and barbiturates [24], and amphetamine derivatives [25].…”