ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the stability of estazolam in biological samples preserved in formaldehyde solution. METHODS: The dog was given intragastric administration of estazolam with a dose of 37.6 mg/kg and killed 2 h later. Heart, liver, kidney and brain of the dog were cut up into 1 g and preserved in 4% formaldehyde solution respectively. The content of estazolam in biological samples and formaldehyde solution were analyzed by HPLC at different times. RESULTS: The content of estazolam in heart, liver, kidney and brain or in formaldehyde solution reduced gradually followed with the extention of preservation time. At the 63rd day, estazolam content in four tissues were 0.8%, 1.7%, 1.0% and 2.2% of the original content respectively. CONCLUSION: Estazolam in tissues can diffuse into formaldehyde solution and decomposed quickly, so biological samples contained estazolam should not be preserved in formaldehyde solution.
Subject(s)
Estazolam/chemistry , Formaldehyde , Hypnotics and Sedatives/chemistry , Tissue Preservation/methods , Administration, Oral , Animals , Brain Chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Dogs , Drug Stability , Estazolam/poisoning , Forensic Toxicology/methods , Hypnotics and Sedatives/poisoning , Kidney/chemistry , Liver/chemistry , Male , Solutions , Time FactorsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the stability of estazolam in biological samples preserved in formaldehyde solution.@*METHODS@#The dog was given intragastric administration of estazolam with a dose of 37.6 mg/kg and killed 2 h later. Heart, liver, kidney and brain of the dog were cut up into 1 g and preserved in 4% formaldehyde solution respectively. The content of estazolam in biological samples and formaldehyde solution were analyzed by HPLC at different times.@*RESULTS@#The content of estazolam in heart, liver, kidney and brain or in formaldehyde solution reduced gradually followed with the extention of preservation time. At the 63rd day, estazolam content in four tissues were 0.8%, 1.7%, 1.0% and 2.2% of the original content respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#Estazolam in tissues can diffuse into formaldehyde solution and decomposed quickly, so biological samples contained estazolam should not be preserved in formaldehyde solution.
Subject(s)
Animals , Dogs , Male , Administration, Oral , Brain Chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Drug Stability , Estazolam/poisoning , Forensic Toxicology/methods , Formaldehyde , Hypnotics and Sedatives/poisoning , Kidney/chemistry , Liver/chemistry , Solutions , Time Factors , Tissue Preservation/methodsABSTRACT
The main subject of the study was a toxicological investigation of biological specimens coming from two cases of intoxication with mixture of drugs. Two young people decided to commit suicide by the use of mixture of drugs mainly analgesic in approximately equal doses. For one person the dose of drugs administered turned out to be fatal while second person survived with the symptoms of acute intoxication. The analysis carried out with the use of liquid chromatographic method with mass detection (HPLC/MS) confirmed the presence of mixture of drugs in blood of living person and in postmortem specimens of the victim in significant concentrations. The toxicological findings have delivered information for discussion in medico-legal and ethical aspects.
Subject(s)
Illicit Drugs/blood , Illicit Drugs/poisoning , Suicide, Attempted , Adult , Atenolol/blood , Atenolol/poisoning , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Diclofenac/blood , Diclofenac/poisoning , Estazolam/blood , Estazolam/poisoning , Fatal Outcome , Female , Humans , Ibuprofen/blood , Ibuprofen/poisoning , Ketoprofen/blood , Ketoprofen/poisoning , Male , Metronidazole/blood , Metronidazole/poisoning , Naproxen/blood , Naproxen/poisoning , Poland , Suicide, Attempted/legislation & jurisprudence , Theophylline/blood , Theophylline/poisoning , Tolperisone/blood , Tolperisone/poisoningABSTRACT
In this study the authors report a new method to determine estazolam in blood and urine by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). This compound is a triazolobenzodiazepine and shows an interesting psychopharmacological activity. The extraction from biological fluids was carried out using a mixture of ethylenechloride, methylenechloride, and ethylacetate (1:1:8). The HPLC analysis was carried out with a C18 column, using methanol:phosphate buffer (pH 7.5, 0.011M):acetonitrile (65:33:2) as mobile phase. The detector was set at lambda = 240 nm. The method shows good repeatability and a linear response in the range of 0.6 to 10 micrograms estazolam/mL both in serum and urine. A case of non-lethal acute intoxication in which the method was applied is also reported.
