Postmortem distribution of sildenafil in histological material.
This study reports results of the detection and quantitation of sildenafil (Viagra) in biological fluids and tissues and its stability in fixed tissues and formalin solutions in which the tissues were fixed. Toxicological analyses were performed on samples from a 60-year-old man who died of acute heart failure due to myocardiosclerosis. Sildenafil pills were found in his pocket. At the time of autopsy, sildenafil was found in body fluids and tissues (blood 0.04 mg/L, bile 0.99 mg/L, gastric contents 6.84 mg/L, urine 9.60 mg/L, brain 6.43 mg/kg, heart 6.10 mg/kg, kidney 4.28 mg/kg, liver 5.46 mg/kg, lung 5.38 mg/kg, spleen 1.38 mg/kg). Tissue samples were preserved in formalin solutions for four weeks. Analyses of formalin-fixed tissues and formalin solutions in which the same tissues had been preserved allowed the detection and quantitation of sildenafil (brain 2.20 mg/kg, formalin from brain 4.01 mg/L; heart 1.46 mg/kg, formalin from heart 4.41 mg/L; kidney 0.98 mg/kg, formalin from kidney 3.19 mg/L; liver 2.19 mg/kg, formalin from liver 3.21 mg/L; lung 1.02 mg/kg, formalin from lung 4.18 mg/L; spleen 0.28 mg/kg, formalin from spleen 0.94 mg/L). Results indicate that sildenafil has good stability in biological specimens subjected to chemical fixation.
Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Ancona, Ospedale Torrette, I-60020 Italy.
Stefania
S
Pagani
Dora
D
Mirtella
Roberto
R
Mencarelli
Daniele
D
Rodriguez
Mariano
M
Cingolani
D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011687:Purines; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013450:Sulfones; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate