ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 3

Postmortem Redistribution of Morphine and Its Metabolites
Gerostamoulos, J
Senior research officer and Head of Scientific Services, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine,

Drummer, OH
Senior research officer and Head of Scientific Services, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine,

(Received 31 December 1998; accepted 28 September 1999)

Abstract

The postmortem redistribution of morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide, morphine-6-glucuronide and total morphine was assessed in 40 heroin-related deaths. In blood taken from subclavian, heart, and femoral regions, concentrations of morphine and its metabolites were similar. While there was a trend for higher concentrations in heart blood, when compared with femoral or subclavian blood, this was not significant. There was also no significant difference in concentrations between admission and autopsy blood in which the postmortem interval was on average 59 h. From our observations, significant postmortem redistribution of morphine and its metabolites seems unlikely.

Keywords:
forensic science, postmortem redistribution, morphine, morphine-glucuroindes, forensic toxicology

Paper ID: JFS14781J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS14781J
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