Toxicological Analysis of Insects on the Corpse: a Valuable Source of Information in Forensic Investigations

Abstract

Background: Entomotoxicology as a subset of forensic entomology can be used by analysis of carcass feeding in­sects to detecting of drugs or toxins, as well as the cause and manner of death in cases of ante-mortem drugs intoxi­cation. Morphine is one of the deacetylate metabolites of heroin. The aim of this study was to determine the presence and quantity of morphine in insects on the carcass and compare them with decomposing carcass.
 Methods: Field of this study was in Chalabeh District and toxicological tests were carried out at the Department of Forensic Toxicology, Legal Medicine Center, Kermanshah, Iran in 2017. Morphine was inoculated into live rabbit as experimental model at concentrations of 12.5, 25, 50mg/ml, similar to those normally encountered in human over­doses, then quality and quantity of morphine were determined in insects such as Chrysomya albiceps (as the first wave of insect succession on human cadavers) fed on carcass.
 Results: Quantitative assessment at larvae showed that morphine was detected in all larvae (feeding and post feeding stage) fed on tissues from carcasses administered morphine, except for post-feeding larvae from R1 which received 12.5mg/ml dosage of morphine.
 Conclusions: Necrophagous insects are an indicator on the scene of crime and a potential source of information about the antemortem situation. Detection of drug in insects which is actually a reflection of the cause of death is possible.

Detection of Three Opioids (Morphine, Codeine and Methadone) and Their Metabolites (6-Monoacetylmorphine and 2-Ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine) in Larvae of Lucilia sericata Species by UHPLC-TF-MS and Validation

“…From the perspective of quantitative analysis, substance concentrations have been calculated on several instances and for various substances including morphine, codeine, methadone and metabolites. The significant obstacle here is that there is a high variability in the concentration of drugs that have been quantified [ 18 , 19 ]. This fact could be due to the mechanism of detoxification and expulsion of exogenous substances by these organisms, mainly through the Malpighian tubules [ 20 ].…”

Effects of Tramadol and Cypermethrin on the Histology of Sarcophaga ruficornis Larvae and Their Concentrations in Postmortem Rabbit Tissues and Their Post-Feeding Larvae

“…Afterwards, it was poured into the decanter and underneath the organic phase which contained tramadol or cypermethrin, and was separated in a beaker. After drying, 1 ml of methanol was added to the sample (the residue) and using a syringe of 0.2 µl, the sample was filtered, transferred, and placed in a 1.5 ml polypropylene Eppendorf tube, where 20 µl of it was introduced into the chromatographic system (Salimi et al, 2018).…”

Screening of tomato cultivars against leafminer, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) infesting tomato in mid-hills of Meghalaya, India

“…assessment by thin-layer chromatography showed the presence of morphine in maggots of blowfly, Chrysomya albiceps, fed on the carcass of rabbit administered with morphine (Salimi et al, 2018).…”