Journal Published Online: 01 March 2003
Volume 48, Issue 2

Polydrug Fatality Involving Metaxalone

CODEN: JFSCAS

Abstract

A 29-year old female with a history of depression was found dead in a hotel room. The death scene investigation found empty pill bottles and an empty liter bottle of wine. Metaxalone, a centrally acting muscle relaxant, along with citalopram, ethanol, and chlorpheniramine were identified in the postmortem samples and quantitated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The concentration of metaxalone in femoral vein blood was 39 mg/L. The heart blood concentration was 54 mg/L. Femoral vein blood concentrations of citalopram and chlorpheniramine were 0.77 mg/L and 0.04 mg/L, respectively. Ethanol levels were 0.13 g/dL in vitreous and 0.08 g/dL in heart blood. Other tissue samples were also analyzed. The authors consider the metaxalone concentrations toxic and potentially fatal. The citalopram concentrations were lower than those reported in fatal cases for this drug alone. Death was ascribed to polydrug abuse/overdose with metaxalone a major contributor. This represents the first reported case to our knowledge in which a metaxalone overdose significantly contributed to death.

Author Information

Gruszecki, AC
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Kloda, S
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Simmons, GT
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner's Office, Birmingham, AL
Daly, TM
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Hardy, RW
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Robinson, CA
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Pages: 3
Price: $25.00
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Stock #: JFS2002286
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2002286