State-of-the-art of bone marrow analysis in forensic toxicology: a review.
Although blood is the reference medium in the field of forensic toxicology, alternative matrices are required in case of limited, unavailable or unusable blood samples. The present review investigated the suitability of bone marrow (BM) as an alternative matrix to characterize xenobiotic consumption and its influence on the occurrence of death. Basic data on BM physiology are reported in order to highlight the specificities of this matrix and their analytical and toxicokinetic consequences. A review of case reports, animal and human studies involving BM sample analysis focuses on the various parameters of interpretation of toxicological results: analytic limits, sampling location, pharmacokinetics, blood/BM concentration correlation, stability and postmortem redistribution. Tables summarizing the analytical conditions and quantification of 45 compounds from BM samples provide a useful tool for toxicologists. A specific section devoted to ethanol shows that, despite successful quantification, interpretation is highly dependent on postmortem interval. In conclusion, BM is an interesting alternative matrix, and further experimental data and validated assays are required to confirm its great potential relevance in forensic toxicology.
Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, ISPB-Faculté de pharmacie, Laboratoire de Toxicologie, 8 avenue Rockefeller, 69373 Lyon cedex 08, France.
Nathalie
N
Cartiser
Fabien
F
Bévalot
Laurent
L
Fanton
Yvan
Y
Gaillard
Jérôme
J
Guitton
D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D053593:Forensic Toxicology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000032:analysis*
D015262:Xenobiotics