title: HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS findings in fatality involving (Z)-cis-clopenthixol (zuclopenthixol).
abstract: A fatality that was due to massive ingestion of the thioxanthene neuroleptic (Z)-cis-clopenthixol (zuclopenthixol, Z-CPT) is described. The total toxicological screening and the quantitation of both the ingested drugs and its inactive isomer (E)-trans-clopenthixol (E-CPT, produced by in vivo isomerization) in postmortem fluids and viscerae were produced by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detection. Drug confirmation was carried out by HPLC-mass spectrometry with an ionspray interface. Although death occurred 40 h after the drug intake, postmortem blood concentrations were 391 and 275 mg/mL for Z-CPT and E-CPT, respectively (50 to 100 times the usual therapeutic values). The cause of death was suicide, and the manner was acute neuroleptic overdosage.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tracqui
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kintz
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cirimele
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berthault
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mangin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ludes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D003006:Clopenthixol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D062787:Drug Overdose; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000502:physiology; D014781:Viscera / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003006:Clopenthixol