Postmortem stability of barbiturates in blood and tissues.
The stability of five commonly prescribed barbiturates and thiopental in blood and liver at room temperature and at 4 degrees C was studied. Gas chromatography was used for oxybarbiturate analysis while liquid chromatography was used to quantitate thiopental. In blood and liver, greater than 75% of the drugs were detected at the end of the two- to three-month period. These changes were not considered significant; therefore, barbiturates appear to be stable in blood and liver under the conditions of these experiments.
D000654:Amobarbital / Q000032:analysis; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000032:analysis; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000032:analysis; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012631:Secobarbital / Q000032:analysis; D013874:Thiopental / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
D001463:Barbiturates; D012631:Secobarbital; D000654:Amobarbital; D010424:Pentobarbital; D013874:Thiopental; D010634:Phenobarbital