The Effect of Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol®) on the Development of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and its Implications for Forensic Entomology |
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| Authors: | Tainá Costa Baia BSc Alessandra Campos BSc Bruno Mattos Silva Wanderley MS Renata Antonaci Gama PhD |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Laboratório de Insetos e Vetores, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia‐Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Candelária, Natal, RN, Brazil;2. Laboratório de Limnologia, Departamento de Oceanografia e Limnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Avenida Senador Dinarte Mariz, Natal, RN, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | This study investigated the potential effects of flunitrazepam (known as “date rape drug”) on the developmental cycle of Chrysomya megacephala, an important forensic species, and their possible implications for the calculation of the PMI. A 1050 C. megacephala eggs were divided into five groups with seven replications each. The eggs were placed on artificial diet prepared with four drug concentrations of flunitrazepam (4, 8, 16, and 32 ng/g), besides the control group (prepared with water). Were evaluated the potential effects on development time, weight gain, and mortality during the cycles. The drug had no significant effect on development time or mortality although it did affect the weight of the pupae and adults (Kruskal–Wallis, p < 0.05). The result can be deduced that the determination of the postmortem interval is not affected. |
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| Keywords: | forensic science forensic entomology entomotoxicology
Chrysomya megacephala
postmortem interval date rape drug |
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