Skip to Content
MilliporeSigma
  • Toxicological findings in a fatal multidrug intoxication involving mephedrone.

Toxicological findings in a fatal multidrug intoxication involving mephedrone.

Forensic science international (2014-05-23)
Enrico Gerace, Michele Petrarulo, Fabrizio Bison, Alberto Salomone, Marco Vincenti
ABSTRACT

The distribution of mephedrone in the body fluids and tissues of a subject found dead after the concomitant intake of cocaine and mephedrone is reported. Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) is a designer drug of the phenethylamine family that is able to cause central nervous system stimulation, psychoactivity and hallucinations and that is becoming popular among youth as a recreational drug. Mephedrone has been available in Europe since 2007, and it is sold through the internet and by local shops as bath salt or plant food. In the case reported here, a 25-year-old man was found dead in the apartment of a friend after a night spent in several local clubs. A fragment of a blue diamond-shaped pill was found in the pocket of the trousers worn by the decedent. During the autopsy, no evidence of natural disease or trauma was found to account for this death. Blood, urine and gastric content samples were collected and submitted for toxicological analysis. Moreover, bile, brain, lung and hair samples were collected as additional matrices. The content of the pill was submitted to a general screening analysis in order to determine its composition. Mephedrone was detected in the blood, urine, gastric contents and in the additional matrices using an expressly validated GC/MS method. The blood and urine concentrations were 1.33mg/L and 144mg/L, respectively. Contextually, cocaine and cocaethylene were found in the blood and urine specimens. The distribution of mephedrone in the body organs was evaluated by analyzing the brain, bile and lung specimens. Hair analysis revealed a past exposure to mephedrone, ketamine, MDMA and cocaine. Sildenafil was identified as the main component of the blue, diamond-shaped pill. The quantitative determination of mephedrone in several body fluids and tissues provides significant knowledge about the distribution of this new drug of abuse in the human body after massive ingestion.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Methanol, SAJ special grade
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Methanol, JIS 300, ≥99.8%, for residue analysis
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Methanol, SAJ first grade, ≥99.5%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Methanol, JIS special grade, ≥99.8%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Methanol, suitable for HPLC
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Methanol, NMR reference standard
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium phosphate dibasic solution, BioUltra, 0.5 M in H2O
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Supelco
Phosphate Standard for IC, TraceCERT®, 1000 mg/L phosphate in water (nominal concentration)
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
USP
Sodium bicarbonate, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Methanol, HPLC Plus, ≥99.9%, poly-coated bottles
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium bicarbonate, powder, BioReagent, for molecular biology, suitable for cell culture, suitable for insect cell culture
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium bicarbonate, BioXtra, 99.5-100.5%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
tert-Butyl methyl ether, HPLC Plus, for HPLC, GC, and residue analysis, 99.9%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium carbonate, BioXtra, ≥99.0%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Methanol, suitable for HPLC, gradient grade, 99.93%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Methanol, anhydrous, 99.8%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium carbonate, anhydrous, powder, 99.999% trace metals basis
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Supelco
Sodium carbonate, reference material for titrimetry, certified by BAM, >99.5%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium carbonate, BioUltra, anhydrous, ≥99.5% (calc. on dry substance, T)
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Supelco
Methanol, analytical standard
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium bicarbonate, tested according to Ph. Eur.
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Supelco
Trifluoroacetic anhydride, for GC derivatization, LiChropur, ≥99.0% (GC)
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
tert-Butyl methyl ether, anhydrous, 99.8%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
Trifluoroacetic anhydride, ReagentPlus®, ≥99%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Supelco
tert-Butyl methyl ether, HPLC grade, suitable for HPLC, 99.8%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Supelco
Methanol, Pharmaceutical Secondary Standard; Certified Reference Material
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Supelco
tert-Butyl Methyl Ether, Pharmaceutical Secondary Standard; Certified Reference Material
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Supelco
tert-Butyl methyl ether, analytical standard
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
tert-Butyl methyl ether, SAJ special grade, ≥99.0%
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Sigma-Aldrich
tert-Butyl methyl ether, puriss. p.a., ≥99.5% (GC)
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity