Forensic medical aspects of injuries inflicted with self-defense capsaicin aerosols

Toxicological and forensic medical characteristics of capsaicinoids are presented. Capsaicinoids represent a mixture of three basic compounds with similar structure: capsaicine, dihydrocapsaicine, and nordihydrocapsaicine, all of which are the primary components of red pepper extract (Oleoresin Capsicum). The advantages of this group of irritants in comparison with synthetic irritants are discussed. Probable routes of administration of the extract with regard to its hazard for the organism are considered. Results of experimental studies on nonbiological phantoms and volunteers are presented.     

Optimal conditions for extraction of "caffetin" and "saridon" tablet components from aqueous solutions

Using a mathematical method of experiment planning (Latin square), the authors suggest the optimal conditions for extraction of propifenasone and paracetamol, the basic components of caffeine and saridon tablets, from water solutions: extraction with ethylacetate (pH 2) for 5 min in the presence of an electrolyte (sodium chloride or ammonium sulfate) quantum satis. The possibility of extraction of caffeine and codeine under these conditions was tested. When extracting the components of caffeine and saridon tablets, paracetamol, propifenasone, and caffeine should be extracted with ethylacetate at pH 2 and codeine by chloroform at pH 10.     

Principles of records and coding causes of death as a result of craniocerebral injury

Discusses modern requirements to coding of death causes in cases of craniocerebral injury in accordance with the 10th revision of International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health-Related Problems (ICD-10). Offers the ways to fill in medical certificates of death with consideration for the items of ICD-10 and classification of craniocerebral injuries.     

Forensic-medical evaluation of toxic hepatitis associated with surrogate alcohol poisoning

Medical cards of 1,116 inpatient victims of surrogate alcohol poisoning and 242 cases of its fatal outcome associated with jaundice were available for analysis form Irkutsk Region and other regions of the Russian Federation in the second half of 2006 and early 2007. The study revealed differences in hepatic lesions depending on the chemical nature of toxicants. Mixtures containing guanidine derivatives caused highly specific irreversible disturbance of bile transport in hepatocytes and biliary capillaries in the absence of cholestasis at the level of biliary ducts. Changes in hepatocytes of different type and genesis appear to be due to other toxic components and may be of use for the establishment of causal relation between hepatic lesions and concrete toxic mixtures.     

Alcoholic hepatosis in pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy

The problem of chronic alcoholism has a great social importance. In the literature there are not methodological grounds for verification of causes and mechanisms of unexpected death caused by chronic alcoholic intoxication. Given literature data show the reasonability of study of hepatic encephalopathy in combination with pathomorphological, histochemical and biochemical analyses in comparison with forensic chemical analysis of alcohol concentration in human organism. That will make possible to determine the mechanisms of tanatogenesis of alcoholic intoxication.     

Current approaches to analysis of narcotic drugs in biological substances

A method of analysis of basic narcotic drugs in urine is described. It consists in isolation by solid phase extraction, derivation and identification by gas chromatography with mass-selective detector. The approaches applied in the above method can be used for analysis of narcotic drugs undetectable by preliminary investigations as well as for urine examination for pharmacological or other biologically active substances.