Death of a female addict due to heroin and cocaine overdoses: a case report with multiparameter evaluation |
| |
Authors: | Ma?gorzata K?ys Sebastian Rojek Piotr Kowalski Ewa Rzepecka-Wo?niak |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Toxicology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, 16 Grzegórzecka St., Kraków, Poland |
| |
Abstract: | This study undertook a multiparameter evaluation of the death of a 21-year-old woman known to be an abuser of heroin and cocaine.
The toxicological analysis of multiple postmortem specimens such as blood and hair was carried out using liquid chromatography
atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS-MS). The blood specimens of the deceased showed
the presence of opium components such as morphine and its glucuronides together with cocaine and benzoylecgonine. The detected
xenobiotic levels probably explained the cause of her death resulting from combined action of unintentional illicit drug overdose.
By analysis of four 2-cm long hair segments, a heroin-cocaine addiction for at least 8 months antemortem was able to be documented;
the presence of 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), cocaine, and benzoylecgonine was demonstrated. The histopathological findings
of lesions of the internal organs of the deceased were consistent with long heroin and cocaine abuse. The use of multiple
parameters, such as blood and hair segments as matrices and drug metabolites such as 6-MAM, morphine, glucuronides, and benzoylecgonine
as target compounds, gave a well-defined outline of her death. |
| |
Keywords: | Heroin Cocaine Hair analysis Multiparameter evaluation LC-APCI-MS-MS Morphine glucuronides |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|