Postmortem redistribution of psychoactive substances in human biological tissues

• Grant number: 09/08314-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2010
• End date: June 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Mauricio Yonamine
• Grantee: Mauricio Yonamine
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The concentration of toxic agents found in postmortem samples is complex and affected not only by the deteriorating of the body, but also by a process known as postmortem redistribution, which substances are transferred, after death, in areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration. In general, the highest concentrations are found in the blood of central sites, such as blood collected from the heart cavity, compared to peripheral vessels and the femoral vein. In other cases, the time between death and postmortem examination is sufficient for some substances that would be normally present in blood, are no longer available in this biological fluid. Examples include exhumed bodies and suicide cases which have taken days to find the body which was in decomposition process. Thus, when blood samples are not available for collection, the medical examiners have little alternative to collect unconventional tissue samples for toxicological analysis. In such cases, to interpret the results, it is essential the existence of information in the literature. Unfortunately, there is relatively little information about it and needing more studies on this topic. The preset project will study the postmortem redistribution of psychoactive substances (cocaine, opiates, barbiturates, antidepressants and their metabolites) through biological specimens analysis (blood, vitreous humor, brain, liver and bone marrow) collected from victims of Medical Institute Legal of São Paulo (SP-IML). Analytical methods will be developed aiming the detection of these substances in several samples mentioned. Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and liquid-phase microextration (LPME) are recent sample preparation techniques that will be used for analysis. The analytes will be identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the results will be evaluated based on concentrations found, victim's history and time between death and autopsy (sample collection). (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DOS SANTOS, MARCELO FILONZI; FERRI, CAIO CALEIRAS; SEULIN, SASKIA CAROLINA; LEYTON, VILMA; GONCALVES PASQUALUCCI, CARLOS AUGUSTO; MUNOZ, DANIEL ROMERO; YONAMINE, MAURICIO. Determination of antidepressants in whole blood using hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Forensic Toxicology, v. 32, n. 2, p. 214-224, AUG 2014. (09/08314-9, 10/06530-3)

DOS SANTOS, MARCELO FILONZI; YAMADA, ADRIAN; SEULIN, SASKIA CAROLINA; LEYTON, VILMA; GONCALVES PASQUALUCCI, CARLOS AUGUSTO; MUNOZ, DANIEL ROMERO; YONAMINE, MAURICIO. Liquid-Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Antidepressants in Vitreous Humor: Study of Matrix Effect of Human and Bovine Vitreous and Saline Solution. JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL TOXICOLOGY, v. 40, n. 3, p. 187-193, APR 2016. (09/08314-9, 10/06530-3)

MENCK, RAFAEL ALMEIDA; RODRIGUES DE OLIVEIRA, CAROLINA DIZIOLI; DE LIMA, DIOGENES SAULO; GOES, LIGIA ENDO; LEYTON, VILMA; PASQUALUCCI, CARLOS AUGUSTO; MUNOZ, DANIEL ROMERO; YONAMINE, MAURICIO. Hollow fiber-liquid phase microextraction of barbiturates in liver samples. Forensic Toxicology, v. 31, n. 1, p. 31-36, JAN 2013. (09/08314-9)

DE ALMEIDA, RAFAEL MENCK; DE LIMA, DIOGENES SAULO; SEULIN, SASKIA CAROLINA; LEYTON, VILMA; PASQUALUCCI, CARLOS AUGUSTO; MUNOZ, DANIEL ROMERO; OSSELTON, MICHAEL DAVID; YONAMINE, MAURICIO. Hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of barbiturates in whole blood samples. JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, v. 35, n. 23, p. 3361-3368, DEC 2012. (09/08314-9)

SANCHES, LIVIA RENTAS; SEULIN, SASKIA CAROLINA; LEYTON, VILMA; PASSOS BISMARA PARANHOS, BEATRIZ APARECIDA; PASQUALUCCI, CARLOS AUGUSTO; MUNOZ, DANIEL ROMERO; OSSELTON, MICHAEL DAVID; YONAMINE, MAURICIO. Determination of Opiates in Whole Blood and Vitreous Humor: A Study of the Matrix Effect and an Experimental Design to Optimize Conditions for the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Glucuronides. JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL TOXICOLOGY, v. 36, n. 3, p. 162-170, APR 2012. (09/08314-9)