title: Opiate analysis in cadaveric blowfly larvae as an indicator of narcotic intoxication.
abstract: Specimens of liver were collected from 40 cases in which the cause of death had been determined to be opiate intoxication. Rearings of Calliphora vicina larvae were then promoted on the decomposing liver. A control group of 10 decomposed liver specimens from non-opiate deaths was treated similarly. Analysis of larvae and liver for opiates (morphine) was conducted by radioimmunoassay. Good qualitative and quantitative correlation was observed in both the positive and negative groups. Regression analysis comparing the concentrations of opiates found in the larvae with those found in the liver in the positive group resulted in a correlation of r = 0.790.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Introna
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lo Dico
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Caplan
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Smialek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D004175:Diptera / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis*; D009020:Morphine / Q000032:analysis; D009294:Narcotics / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D009020:Morphine