Postmortem distribution of nicotine and cotinine from a case involving the simultaneous administration of multiple nicotine transdermal systems.
A 31-year-old female was found dead with 18 nicotine transdermal system patches taped to her upper body and a plastic bag taped over her nose and mouth (the cause of death was ruled asphyxiation). Nicotine concentrations in biological fluids and tissues were analyzed using a liquid-liquid extraction followed by injection onto and HP-5890 gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. Cotinine was separated from the biological matrices using solid-phase extraction followed by analysis on an HP-5890 GC with flame ionization detection. A variety of specimens were analyzed, including blood, urine, vitreous, brain, liver, and gastric contents. Heart and femoral blood concentrations (1.4 and 0.46 micrograms/mL, respectively) were 175 and 57 times, respectively, the mean C(max) value reported following the proper administration of a single 7-mg/day patch.
Kemp
P M
PM
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Toxicology Section, Oklahoma City 73117, USA.
Sneed
G S
GS
George
C E
CE
Distefano
R F
RF
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000378:metabolism; D003367:Cotinine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013405:Suicide; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000502:physiology
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine; D003367:Cotinine