title: Suicide by multidrug ingestion: hypothesis on the role played by the self-administration of activated charcoal.
abstract: A fatal suicidal ingestion of drugs, together with activated charcoal, is reported. The death occurred 31 hours after the self-administration. The autopsy revealed a large amount of gastric content that appeared to be a compact mass of black color. Toxicologic analyses showed the presence of toxic levels of desalkylflurazepam and trazodone; metamizole and pridinol were also detected. The obtained results supported the hypothesis of a death due to acute intoxication delayed by the self-administration of activated charcoal, which elimination was probably hindered by the action of pridinol.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Rome, Italy. daniela.vantaggiato@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Vantaggiato
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Giovanni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D000931:Antidotes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002606:Charcoal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004177:Dipyrone / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D062787:Drug Overdose; D005260:Female; D005479:Flurazepam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D010880:Piperidines / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D013405:Suicide; D014196:Trazodone / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000931:Antidotes; D010880:Piperidines; D002606:Charcoal; D004177:Dipyrone; C009185:pridinol; C033473:didesethylflurazepam; D005479:Flurazepam; D014196:Trazodone