An unusual case of post-mortem redistribution of ethanol.

We report an unusual case of post-mortem redistribution of ethanol in a woman diver who died by drowning in seawater. The ethanol concentrations were right heart blood 0.60 g/l, left heart blood 2.

Blood concentration of milnacipran in a case of a fatal automobile accident.

A fatal automobile accident involving milnacipran and ethyl alcohol is reported. The drug was identified and quantitated in blood by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detection. The concentration of milnacipran in peripheral blood was 3.

Toxicological analysis of sulpiride in a lethal poisoning case.

A fatality following ingestion of sulpiride is presented. The drug was identified and quantitated in postmortem blood by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. The concentration was 38 microg/mL, which was in excess of 34 times the therapeutic concentration of sulpiride.

Concentrations of heroin, 06-monoacetylmorphine, and morphine in a lethal case following an oral heroin overdose.

A case of lethal overdose by heroin ingestion is presented. The concentrations of drugs were measured several hours after death. Heroin, 06-monoacetylmorphine, and morphine were identified and quantitated in blood, urine, and gastrointestinal contents by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography.

Simultaneous determination of dextromoramide, propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene in necropsic whole blood by liquid chromatography.

Dextromoramide, propoxyphene and its main metabolite, norpropoxyphene, were determined in blood after solid-liquid extraction by means of an HPLC method using photodiode-array detection. Two cases of fatal overdose resulting from abuse of the two drugs are presented. In case 1 the necropsic whole blood contained dextromoramide at toxic level (194 ng ml-1) and propoxyphene (614 ng ml-1) and norpropoxyphene (1100 ng ml-1) within the therapeutic range; the death could be due to the combined effect of the two analgesics and, perhaps, other associated drugs.