title: Determination of oxcarbazepine and its metabolites in postmortem blood and hair by means of liquid chromatography with mass detection (HPLC/APCI/MS).
abstract: A typical use of hair analysis in forensic toxicology is the documentation of previous drug administration. This is illustrated in a suicidal death of a 58-year-old epileptic patient who was treated with oxcarbazepine and probably with levomepromazine. The toxicological analysis carried out by HPLC/APCI/MS included also the hair (6 cm length) besides postmortem blood. The method was validated for levomepromazine, oxcarbazepine (OXCBZ) and its two metabolites, 10-hydroxycarbazepine (CBZ-10OH) and trans-diol-carbazepine (CBZ-diOH) in various biological matrices. The analysis of the postmortem blood indicated oxcarbazepine and its two main metabolites were present at therapeutic concentrations; levomepromazine was detected at a fatal concentration. In three 2-cm segments of hair, oxcarbazepine and its two metabolites were detected; however, levomepromazine was not detected in this specimen. As a result of complex chemical-toxicological investigation it was confirmed the information that the decedent. was an epileptic patient and was treated with oxcarbazepine for at least 6 months before death. In addition, he took a toxic dose of levomepromazine in order to commit suicide. The analysis revealed differences between the concentration levels of oxcarbazepine and its active metabolite CBZ-10OH in postmortem specimens and hair, suggesting different mechanisms of penetration of metabolites and their precursors into this matrix.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, 16 Grzegórzecka Str., Kraków, Poland. mpklys@cyf-kr.edu.pl
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kłys
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rojek
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bolechała
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002138:Calibration; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002220:Carbamazepine; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine