Distribution of dipyridamole in the organism of warm-blooded animals

Characteristics of distribution of dipyridamolum in the organism of warm-blooded animals (rats) after its intragastric introduction were studied. It was established that intact dipyridamolum in great quantity was present in visceras, blood and excrements of poisoned animals. In the greatest quantity dipyridamolum was present in excrements, tissues of stomach, small intestine, lung, spleen and kidney.     

Tissue distribution of intubation-related lidocaine in brain-dead patients

Tissue distribution of lidocaine that was used for endotracheal intubation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was measured in 3 patients who were brain-dead or near brain death. Case 1 was a 69-year-old female whose heartbeat was restored by CPR but stopped 10 hours later. The lidocaine ratios of cerebrum to blood (2.04) and diencephalon to blood (1.01) were within ranges of those found in non-brain-dead patients. Case 2 was a 77-year-old female whose heart resumed beating after CPR but stopped 66 hours later. The lidocaine ratios of cerebrum to blood (5.69), diencephalon to blood (18.7), and cerebellum to blood (11.3) were much higher than those in non-brain-dead patients. Case 3 was a 48-year-old male who had cardiopulmonary arrest following an acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. His heart resumed beating after resuscitation but ceased beating 114 hours after admission. Lidocaine was detected only from the cerebrum, cerebellum, and blood clots in the superior sagittal sinus at levels of 0.028, 0.024, and 0.007 mug/g, respectively. Tissue distribution of intubation-related lidocaine in brain-dead patients is useful as supplementary data for reviewing hemodynamic changes in their brains during medical treatment.     

Tissue distribution of olanzapine in a postmortem case

Olanzapine is a relatively new antipsychotic drug used in the United States for the treatment of schizophrenia. Since its release in the United States market in 1996, few cases of fatal acute intoxication have been reported in the literature. This article describes the case of a 25-year-old man found dead at home who had been prescribed olanzapine for schizophrenia. This case is unique because of the measurement of olanzapine in brain tissue obtained from seven regions in addition to the commonly collected biologic matrices. Olanzapine was detected and quantitated by basic liquid-liquid extraction followed by dual-column gas chromatographic analysis with nitrogen phosphorus detection. The assay had a limit of detection of 0.05 mg/L and an upper limit of linearity of 2 mg/L. The presence of olanzapine was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry by use of electron impact ionization. The concentrations of olanzapine measured in this case were as follows (mg/L or mg/kg): 0.40 (heart blood), 0.27 (carotid blood), 0.35 (urine), 0.61 (liver), negative (cerebrospinal fluid), 0.33 mg in 50 ml (gastric contents). In the brain, the following distribution of olanzapine was determined (mg/kg): negative (cerebellum), 0.22 (hippocampus), 0.86 (midbrain), 0.16 (amygdala), 0.39 (caudate/putamen), 0.17 (left frontal cortex), and 0.37 (right frontal cortex). The cause of death was determined to be acute intoxication by olanzapine, and the manner of death was accidental.     

Tissue distribution of cocaine in a pregnant woman

Reports of cocaine-related obstetrical problems, including abruptio placentae and spontaneous abortion, have become increasingly evident in the medical literature; however, little is known about tissue distribution of cocaine in the pregnant woman. We report the toxicologic results of distribution studies performed on a pregnant woman and her fetus. Maternal/fetal cocaine concentration ratios were high when comparing blood (9:1), brain (6:5), and kidney (10:6). Possible explanations of the mechanism for lower fetal cocaine concentrations may include uterine vasoconstriction, incomplete maternal/fetal equalibration, or rapid placental/fetal clearance.     

Tissue distribution of DDVP after fatal ingestion

Tissue distribution of dichlorvos (DDVP) was determined in a case of fatal ingestion using a rapid and simple gas chromatographic (GC) assay. Remarkable autopsy findings were congestion of the lung and kidneys and bleeding ulcer extending from the dorsum of the tongue to the upper pharynx. The serum cholinesterase activity was 2 IU/l, however, miosis was not observed. In the stomach, 250 ml of volatile fluid was found. Tissue distribution of DDVP was determined using a newly developed simple and rapid GC method. DDVP was found in the spleen and heart at higher concentrations (3340 and 815 μg/g, respectively), and also detected in the urine at the lowest level (4.5 μg/ml). The DDVP concentrations in blood, brain, lung, kidney and liver were 29, 9.7, 81, 80 and 20 μg/ml or g, respectively.     

Tissue distribution of lidocaine in critical care patients after intubation

We investigated tissue distribution of lidocaine in 33 patients after endotracheal intubation with Xylocaine jelly that contains 2% lidocaine hydrochloride. Blood levels of monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX), an active metabolite of lidocaine, were also determined. Five patients (Group A) were alive on arrival and six patients (Group B) resumed heartbeats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The survival times for Groups A and B ranged from 3 to 72 h. The remaining 22 patients (Group C) did not survive cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival (CPAOA). Systemic distribution of lidocaine was measured in nine patients from Group C. The liver-to-kidney lidocaine ratios and cerebrum-to-cerebrospinal fluid lidocaine ratios were: Group A, 0.1-0.7 and 1.4-3.6, respectively; Group B, 0.2-0.8 and 1.2-2.3, respectively; Group C, 0.1-17 and 0.2-1.0, respectively. MEGX was detected in all blood samples from Group A and only two samples from Group B. No MEGX was detected in samples from Group C. Our results indicate that the absorption of tracheal lidocaine during natural circulation results in a cerebrum-to-cerebrospinal fluid lidocaine ratio of 1.2 or more, whereas absorption during artificial circulation by cardiac massage gives a ratio of 1.0 or less. The cerebrum-to-cerebrospinal fluid lidocaine ratio may be a more useful index to estimate circulatory dynamics of patients during CPR than the liver-to-kidney lidocaine ratio. MEGX was not a useful parameter for monitoring circulatory changes during cardiac massage.     

Tissue distribution of tramadol and metabolites in an overdose fatality

Tramadol (Ultram) is a centrally acting, synthetic analgesic agent. Although it has some affinity for the opiate receptors, tramadol is believed to exert its analgesic effect by inhibiting the re-uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin. There are several published cases of tramadol's involvement in drug-related deaths and impairment. Reports of deaths involving tramadol alone with associated tissue concentrations are rare. This report documents a case in which tramadol overdose was identified as the cause of death. The following tramadol concentrations were found in various tissues: blood, 20 mg/L; urine, 110.2 mg/L; liver, 68.9 mg/kg; and kidney, 37.5 mg/kg. Tissue distributions of the two primary metabolites, N-desmethyl and O-desmethyl tramadol, are also reported. In each tissue or fluid except urine, the tramadol concentration was greater than either metabolite, consistent with other reports of drug-impaired drivers and postmortem cases. The O-desmethyl metabolite concentration was greater than the N-desmethyl metabolite concentration in all tissues; this is in contrast to other postmortem reports, in which the majority of cases report concentrations of O-desmethyl as less than those of N-desmethyl. This may be useful as an indicator of time lapse between ingestion and death.     

Tissue distribution of lidocaine after fatal accidental injection

The accidental death of a 64-year-old heart patient as a result of the injection of an incorrect dose of lidocaine is presented. The attending nurse inadvertently administered an intravenous bolus of 10 mL of 20% lidocaine (2g). The patient should have received 5 mL of 2% lidocaine (0.1 g). Such iatrogenic overdoses of lidocaine arise from confusion between prepackaged dosage forms. Lidocaine concentrations (mg/L or mg/kg were: blood, 30; brain, 135; heart, 106; kidney, 204; lung, 89; spleen, 115; skeletal muscle, 20; and adipose, 1.3. The results indicate that even during cardiopulmonary resuscitation as much as 38% of the administered dose of lidocaine may be found in poorly perfused tissue such as skeletal muscle and adipose.     

Tissue distribution of paraquat and diquat after oral administration in rats

The differential distribution of paraquat and diquat in liver, kidney, lung, brain and heart has been studied after oral administration of the LD50 or LD50/2 to rats. Paraquat concentrations were highest in all organs at 24 hours; at this time concentrations in kidney and lung were 2 to 3 times higher than at 2 hours. In contrast, with the exception of kidney, tissue diquat concentrations were highest at 2 hours. There was severe lung damage at 24 hours after paraquat; diquat aid not produce severe lung lesions, but caused intestinal distention and diarrhea. These findings suggest that the difference in the toxicity of paraquat and diquat is related to their difference in tissue distribution and excretion.     

Tissue distribution of ethosuximide and clobazam in a seizure related fatality

The case of a six-year-old male who died in a hospital while receiving several anticonvulsant drugs is described. Phenytoin, desmethyldiazepam, clobazam (an experimental 1,5 benzodiazepine), and desmethylclobazam were quantitated in serum, liver, and brain tissue by high performance liquid chromatography. Ethosuximide was quantitated by gas chromatography. To our knowledge, this is one of few reports describing tissue concentrations of ethosuximide collected at autopsy and the first report of clobazam/desmethylclobazam tissue distribution in man.     

Tissue distribution of mirtazapine and desmethylmirtazapine in a case of mirtazapine poisoning

An ingestion of an unknown quantity of mirtazapine in a suicide attempt leading to death is described. Sertraline and amitriptyline have been co-ingested. Because mirtazapine is reported to be relatively safe in overdose, body fluids and tissues were investigated for both mirtazapine and desmethylmirtazapine by high-pressure liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry following liquid-liquid extraction. The limit of detection was sufficiently low to also apply the assay in pharmacokinetic studies. The levels of amitriptyline and nortriptyline were very low (38 and 19 ng/mL femoral venous blood) and the amount of sertraline in blood taken from the femoral vein (880 ng/mL) was considerably lower than those seen in overdosage. Accumulation of mirtazapine and N-desmethylmirtazapine was evident in fluids and tissues involved in enterohepatic circulation and excretion. The concentration determined in a brain sample suggests a contribution of the metabolite to the drug's pharmacodynamic activity. Based on literature data, significant adverse or synergistic effects among the drugs detected as well as adverse reactions such as a serotonin reaction appeared less probable. Mirtazapine exhibits alpha(1)-antagonistic properties on the cardiac-vascular system and may cause hyponatraemia. In the face of the cardiac findings at autopsy and the lack of an apparent cause of death, these effects of mirtazapine may have initiated a process leading to death.     

Tissue distribution of trichloroethylene in a case of accidental acute intoxication by inhalation

This article describes the toxicological findings in a fatality due to an accidental inhalation of trichloroethylene which took place during wall coating of a poorly ventilated well using trichloroethylene. The man was wearing protective clothing and a mouthmask with adsorbent. He was found dead on the floor of the well 5h after descending. Trichloroethylene was added to the mortar to enhance drying. Identification and quantitation of trichloroethylene in the postmortem samples (blood, lung, liver, kidney, stomach content and bile) and identification of its metabolite trichloroacetic acid in urine was performed using static headspace gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detector. The compounds were separated on a CP-SIL 5CB Low Bleed/MS column using n-butanol as internal standard. The method was linear over the specific range investigated, and showed an accuracy of 104% and an intra-day precision of 11%. Trichloroethylene concentrations of 84mg/l in subclavian blood, 40mg/l in femoral blood, 72mg/kg in liver, 12mg/kg in kidney, 78mg/kg in stomach content, 104mg/l in bile and 21mg/kg in lung were found. Trichloroacetic acid was identified in the urine.     

Tissue distribution of nitrazepam and 7-aminonitrazepam in a case of nitrazepam intoxication

We report a case of nitrazepam poisoning in which the distribution of nitrazepam and 7-aminonitrazepam was determined in body fluids and tissues. A 52-year-old woman was found dead in a shallow ditch (approximately 5 cm in depth), in the winter. Ambient temperature was 2-8 degrees C. The postmortem interval was estimated to be approximately 1 day and no putrefaction was observed. The cause of death was thought to be drowning due to nitrazepam overdose and cold exposure. Blood concentrations of nitrazepam and 7-aminonitrazepam were very site dependent (0.400-0.973 microg/ml and 0.418-1.82 microg/ml). In addition, the concentration of the same analytes in the bile were 4.08 and 1.67 microg/ml, respectively, and in the urine: 0.580 and 1.09 microg/ml, respectively. A high accumulation of both substances was observed in various types of brain tissue (2.17-6.22 microg/g and 2.49-5.11 microg/g). Only small amounts of nitrazepam and 7-aminonitrazepam were detected in the liver (0.059 and 0.113 microg/g, respectively). Large differences in the observed concentrations of nitrazepam and 7-aminonitrazepam among arterial and venous blood samples were thought to be mainly due to dilution of arterial blood by water entering the circulation through lungs at the time of death. Bacterial metabolism of nitrazepam may also have contributed to the observed differences.     

Tissue distribution of components of the insulin-like growth factor system in sudden infant death and controls

Growth factors may be involved in sudden infant death (SID). Among these factors, the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) family is important in human fetal and perinatal organ growth and development. In order to detect probable differences in the occurrence and distribution of components of the IGF system, tissue samples from liver, lung, skin, parotid and thyroid gland, gut and cerebellum from SID children (n=9) and controls (n=6) aged between 14 and 258 days of life (mean 105 days) were stained immunohistochemically using antibodies against IGF-I, IGF-II and their specific IGF-I-receptor (IGF-IR). In contrast to controls in hepatocytes of SID children a reduction or an absence of immunoreactivity for IGF-I and IGF-IR and a weaker staining for IGF-II was detected. IGF-II in smooth muscle layers in the gut and IGF-I in epithelial cells in intestinal specimens also showed a reduced immunoreactivity in SID children and those who died traumatic deaths. In the other organs examined no significant differences in the distribution of the insulin-like growth factor system between the groups could be detected, indicating that in SID children no fundamental differences or alterations in the physiology of the IGF system occur. Because of the decreased immunostaining of IGFs in the liver and intestine of SID cases, a local dysregulation may be discussed.     

Distribution of 4-methylphenol in warm blooded animals

The distribution of 4-methylphenol in warm-blooded animals (rabbits) was studied after intragastric administration of the toxin. 4-methylphenol (free or bound) is present largely in the urine, liver and kidney tissues.     

DNA检验技术在野生动物保护中的应用

随着生物技术的发展,法医DNA检验技术在保护野生动物的工作中得到了越来越多的应用.本文介绍了全球野生动物犯罪现状及保护措施,简述了法医DNA检验技术在野生动物物种鉴定、来源地确认、个体识别和亲子鉴定等方面的实际应用,重点评述了法医DNA技术用于野生动物保护的几种常用检验方法以及各自的优缺点,探讨了法医DNA技术用于野生...     

Peculiarities of detection and evaluation of the persistence of tetraethyltiuram disulfide in the biological material

Optimal conditions for the identification and quantitative determination of tetraethyltiuram disulfide in "fresh" and putrefactive tissues of cadaverous liver are described for the purpose of TLC, HPLC, and IK-spectrophotometry following extraction of the compound of interest with ethyl acetate and its purification on a silicagel L column, 40/100 mcm. The persistence of tetraethyltiuram disulfide in the cadaverous tissues was evaluated. It was shown that the period during which tetraethyltiuram disulfide can be detected in the autopsied tissues decreases from 203 to 28 days with a rise in temperature from -15 degrees C to +36 degrees C.