title: Application of pericardial fluid to the analysis of morphine (heroin) and cocaine in forensic toxicology.
abstract: In this study opiates (morphine and codeine) and cocaine and its related metabolites (benzoylecgonine and cocaethylene) were analyzed in pericardial fluid by GC/MS. This is the first study reporting levels of drugs of abuse in this body fluid. The analytical method used has been previously validated and then applied to 54 drug-related deaths in the Barcelona area (Spain). Median levels were as follows: morphine 589ng/ml, range 19-8857 (n=49); codeine 26ng/ml, range 15-343 (n=35); cocaine 78ng/ml, range 10-220 (n=14), benzoylecgonine 742ng/ml, range 20-3386 (n=15), and cocaethylene 36ng/ml, range 9-100 (n=13). In addition, a comparative study of the concentration of opiates and cocaine in pericardial fluid by both semi-quantitative EMIT d.a.u. and GC/MS (used as reference) was performed. Fairly good correlations for opiates (r=0.905) and cocaine (r=0.859) were found; however, the consistently low results of EMIT in the analysis of cocaine comparing to GC/MS could be caused by matrix effect. In spite of that, it raises the possibility of using the immunoassay as a preliminary technique in forensic toxicology.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Toxicology, Department of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: Antonio F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pla
authors.forename: Juan Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Valverde
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Segura
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de la Torre
mesh_terms: D003042:Cocaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis*; D003061:Codeine / Q000032:analysis; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis*; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D009020:Morphine / Q000032:analysis; D009294:Narcotics / Q000032:analysis*; D010496:Pericardium / Q000737:chemistry*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D009294:Narcotics; C005618:benzoylecgonine; D009020:Morphine; C066444:cocaethylene; D003042:Cocaine; D003061:Codeine