ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 4

Detection of Antidepressant and Antipsychotic Drugs in Postmortem Human Scalp Hair
Couper, FJ
Honors Student, Chief Toxicologist, and Assistant Director (VIFP) and Honorary Associate Professor in Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

McIntyre, IM
Honors Student, Chief Toxicologist, and Assistant Director (VIFP) and Honorary Associate Professor in Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

Drummer, OH
Honors Student, Chief Toxicologist, and Assistant Director (VIFP) and Honorary Associate Professor in Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

(Received 24 January 1994; accepted 10 June 1994)

Abstract

The presence of therapeutic drugs in postmortem human scalp hair was investigated. Hair samples from 21 cadavers known to have taken antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs were solubilized in 1 M sodium hydroxide. Drugs were extracted using solvent extraction procedures and analyzed by gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Antidepressant drugs detected were amitripty-line, dothiepin, doxepin, imipramine, trimipramine, and mianserin. Antipsychotic drugs detected were haloperidol, chlorpromazine and thioridazine. Concentrations of these drugs and their metabolites ranged from 1.3 to 242 ng/mg hair. Segmental analysis demonstrated that the drug concentrations detected were either consistent with the known dosing regime of the deceased, or were able to provide an indication of drug use within the last few months prior to death. This study reinforces the potential of hair as a useful tissue in forensic investigations, in establishing a history of past exposures to therapeutic drugs.

Keywords:
toxicology, drug detection, hair, psychotropic drugs

Paper ID: JFS13766J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13766J
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