Postmortem redistribution of antidepressants and their metabolites in biological tissues

• Grant number: 10/06530-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2010
• End date: September 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Mauricio Yonamine
• Grantee: Marcelo Filonzi dos Santos
• 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 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). In case of suspected death due to use of antidepressants, the screening will take place this service by using the rapid test called Triage ® 8 and only in positive cases in this preliminary investigation, there will be collection of biological specimens cited abouve . 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).

Scientific publications

(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; 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)

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)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

SANTOS, Marcelo Filonzi dos. Postmortem redistribution of antidepressants and their metabolites in human biological tissues.. 2014. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ) São Paulo.