title: Fatal overdose of clozapine.
abstract: An ingestion of an unknown quantity of Leponex (clozapine) tablets in a suicide is described. Although clozapine is known for over 30 years now, relatively few cases of intoxications due to clozapine overdose have been reported. The authors report a new and quick method to analyze and determine the clozapine and N-desmethylclozapine concentration in body fluids. The analytes and an internal standard (zolpidem) were extracted from alkalinized samples into ethyl acetate before GC/NPD analysis. The proposed method resulted in a rapid procedure most useful in cases of deliberate poisoning with the neuroleptic drug Leponex.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Forensic Medicine, University of Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Binda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dirnhofer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D003024:Clozapine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D062787:Drug Overdose; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003024:Clozapine