Temporal Fate of Drugs in Decomposing Porcine Tissue

• NCJ Number: 234657
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 56 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2011 Pages: 694-699
• Author(s): John F. Wyman, Ph.D.; Dorothy E. Dean, M.D.; Rachel Yinger, B.S.; Amber Simmons, M.S.; David Brobst, B.S.; Michael Bissell, M.D., Ph.D.; Fernando Silveira, D.V.M.; Nancy Kelly; Robert Shott, M.D.; Joseph Ohr, M.D.; Rick Howard, B.S.; Bradley Lewis, M.D.
• Date Published: May 2011
• Length: 6 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Midwest Forensics Resource Ctr
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Drug levels in decomposed individuals are difficult to interpret. Concentrations of 16 drugs were monitored in tissues (blood, brain, liver, kidney, muscle, and soil) from decomposing pigs for 1 week.

Abstract

Pigs were divided into groups (n = 5) with each group receiving four drugs. Drug cocktails were prepared from pharmaceutical formulations. Intracardiac pentobarbital sacrifice was 4 h after dosing, with tissue collection at 4, 24, 48, 96, and 168 h postdosing. Samples were frozen until assay. Detection and quantitation of drugs were through solid phase extraction followed by gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer analysis. Brain and kidneys were not available after 48 h; liver and muscle persisted for 1 week. Concentration of drugs increased during decomposition. During 1 week of decomposition, muscle showed average levels increasing but concentrations in liver were increased many fold, compared to muscle. Attempting to interpret drug levels in decomposed bodies may lead to incorrect conclusions about cause and manner of death. (Published Abstract)