A fatal poisoning involving Bromo-Dragonfly.
This paper reports a fatal overdose case involving the potent hallucinogenic drug Bromo-Dragonfly (1-(8-bromobenzo[1,2-b; 4,5-b']difuran-4-yl)-2-aminopropane). In the present case, an 18-year-old woman was found dead after ingestion of a hallucinogenic liquid. A medico-legal autopsy was performed on the deceased, during which liver, blood, urine and vitreous humour were submitted for toxicological examination. Bromo-Dragonfly was identified in the liver blood using UPLC-TOFMS, and was subsequently quantified in femoral blood (0.0047 mg/kg), urine (0.033 mg/kg) and vitreous humour (0.0005 mg/kg) using LC-MS/MS. Calibration standards were prepared from Bromo-Dragonfly isolated from a bottle found next to the deceased. The structure and purity of the isolated compound were unambiguously determined from analysis of UPLC-TOFMS, GC-MS, HPLC-DAD, (1)H and (13)C NMR data and by comparison to literature data. The autopsy findings were non-specific for acute poisoning. However, based on the toxicological findings, the cause of death was determined to be a fatal overdose of Bromo-Dragonfly, as no ethanol and no therapeutics or other drugs of abuse besides Bromo-Dragonfly were detected in the liver, blood or urine samples from the deceased. To our knowledge, this is the first report of quantification of Bromo-Dragonfly in a biological specimen from a deceased person. This case caused the drug to be classified as an illegal drug in Denmark on 5th December 2007.
Andreasen
Mette Findal
MF
Section for Toxicology and Drug Analysis, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Aarhus, Brendstrupgaardsvej 100, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. mfa@forensic.au.dk
Telving
Rasmus
R
Birkler
Rune Isak Dupont
RI
Schumacher
Bente
B
Johannsen
Mogens
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001970:Bromobenzoates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000506:poisoning*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000506:poisoning*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011437:Propylamines / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000506:poisoning*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000737:chemistry
C540688:1-(8-bromobenzo(1,2-b;4,5-b')difuran-4-yl)-2-aminopropane; D001970:Bromobenzoates; D006213:Hallucinogens; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011437:Propylamines