ABSTRACT
Enantiomers of thioridazine (TRZ) were determined in postmortem tissues obtained from a patient on chronic TRZ therapy by sequential achiral and chiral high pressure liquid chromatography. Tissue concentrations of (+)-TRZ found in liver, brain, bile and blood were: 6.46, 0.40, 0.48 and 0.07 mg/l or mg/kg, respectively. Concentrations of (-)-TRZ in liver, brain, bile and blood were: 12.2, 0.81, 1.07 and 0.20 mg/l or mg/kg, respectively. These data demonstrate the stereoselective disposition of TRZ in human tissues.
Subject(s)
Suicide , Thioridazine/analysis , Adult , Body Fluids/chemistry , Brain Chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Female , Fluoxetine/analysis , Humans , Liver/chemistry , Postmortem ChangesSubject(s)
Cocaine/poisoning , Substance-Related Disorders/mortality , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , VirginiaABSTRACT
The stability of carbon monoxide (CO) in blood was studied under various conditions of storage using both spectrophotometric and gas chromatographic-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) methods of analysis. Changes (losses) in percent carbon monoxide saturation occurred under some conditions but not under others. Various mechanisms for CO losses are considered and one (passive diffusion of CO gas) best explains these observations. Losses of up to 60% of the original saturation occurred when blood was kept in uncapped containers at room temperature for 2 1/2 weeks or at 4 degrees C for 3 weeks. However, no changes occurred when blood was kept in tightly sealed containers for at least 4 months at either temperature.
Subject(s)
Carbon Monoxide/blood , Blood Preservation , Chromatography, Gas , Diffusion , Humans , Postmortem Changes , TemperatureABSTRACT
The stability of five commonly prescribed barbiturates and thiopental in blood and liver at room temperature and at 4 degrees C was studied. Gas chromatography was used for oxybarbiturate analysis while liquid chromatography was used to quantitate thiopental. In blood and liver, greater than 75% of the drugs were detected at the end of the two- to three-month period. These changes were not considered significant; therefore, barbiturates appear to be stable in blood and liver under the conditions of these experiments.
Subject(s)
Barbiturates/analysis , Amobarbital/analysis , Barbiturates/blood , Chromatography, Gas , Chromatography, Liquid , Humans , Liver/analysis , Pentobarbital/analysis , Phenobarbital/analysis , Postmortem Changes , Secobarbital/analysis , Thiopental/analysis , Thiopental/bloodABSTRACT
The stability of benzodiazepines in blood and tissues was examined in this study. Specifically, diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, flurazepam, and their desalkyl metabolites were studied over several months. Diazepam, flurazepam, and N-1-desalkylflurazepam were stable when stored in blood at room temperature while chlordiazepoxide, norchlordiazepoxide, and nordiazepam were found to be unstable under similar storage conditions. Data from tissues containing these chemicals corroborated the results from blood.
Subject(s)
Anti-Anxiety Agents/blood , Forensic Medicine , Benzodiazepines , Biotransformation , Blood Preservation , Chromatography, Gas/methods , Chromatography, Liquid/methods , Humans , TemperatureABSTRACT
This case report concerns a fatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene at a dry cleaning establishment. A sensitive analytical method was developed and the distribution of the chemical in various fluids and tissues was determined. Although several fatalities from tetrachloroethylene have been reported, little previous quantitative toxicological data have been found in the literature.
Subject(s)
Tetrachloroethylene/poisoning , Chromatography, Gas , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Tetrachloroethylene/bloodABSTRACT
Gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) analysis of phenobarbital by on-column methylation with trimethylanilinium hydroxide gives rise to a major decomposition product, N-methyl-2-phenylbutyramide, in addition to the methylated barbiturate, N,N'-dimethylphenobarbital. This reaction occurs nearly exclusively in the solution phase in the injection port of the gas chromatography. A mechanism for the decomposition reaction consistent with the available information is presented. This decomposition is shown to be inhibited by certain solvents and this effect forms the basis of a new analytical technique for the simultaneous GLC analysis of phenobarbital, primidone, and diphenylhydantoin.
Subject(s)
Phenobarbital/blood , Aniline Compounds , Chemical Phenomena , Chemistry , Chromatography, Gas/methods , Humans , Indicators and Reagents , MethylationABSTRACT
A fatal chlorobutanol intoxication is reported and a gas chromatographic method for the determination of this drug in human fluids and tissues is described. Analytical findings for blood, urine, stomach contents, bile, liver, kidney, spleen, and brain are reported.
Subject(s)
Chromatography, Gas , Female , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
We report a fluorometric method for detecting diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, oxazepam, chlorazepate, and (or) their major metabolites in blood, urine, or gastric contents at low therapeutic concentrations. The drugs are first hydrolyzed to their respective benzophenones and converted to highly fluorescent 9-acridanones. Total benzodiazepines (parent plus metabolites) in blood and gastric contents are semiquantitatively evaluated and compared to results of gas-chromatographic determinations.
