ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 8

Postmortem Clomipramine: Therapeutic or Toxic Concentrations?
King, CV
Chief Scientist, Scientist, Director/Professor (Monash), Assistant Director/Associate Professor (Monash), Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

McIntyre, IM
Chief Scientist, Scientist, Director/Professor (Monash), Assistant Director/Associate Professor (Monash), Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

Drummer, OH
Chief Scientist, Scientist, Director/Professor (Monash), Assistant Director/Associate Professor (Monash), Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

Cordner, SM
Chief Scientist, Scientist, Director/Professor (Monash), Assistant Director/Associate Professor (Monash), Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

(Received 6 August 1993; accepted 16 September 1993)

Abstract

Postmortem blood and liver concentrations of clomipramine were determined in ten cases by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Blood concentrations ranged from 0.21 to 4.9 mg/L, and liver concentrations from 7.0 to 320 mg/kg. Two cases associated with clomipramine toxicity were clearly differentiated from other cases by the analysis of liver. The concentrations of clomipramine in these two cases were 3.3 and 1.8 mg/L in blood, and 280 and 320 mg/kg in liver. The liver concentrations were 10 to 30 fold greater in the deaths associated with drug toxicity compared with the other cases. One case, where cardiac blood was collected in place of femoral blood, showed a high blood concentration (4.9 mg/L), but an arguably therapeutic liver concentration (13 mg/kg). The analysis of femoral blood together with liver provides the best guide as to the significance of post-mortem clomipramine concentrations.

Keywords:
toxicology, clomipramine, toxicity, blood, liver, HPLC, postmortem redistribution

Paper ID: JFS13620J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13620J
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