title: Distribution of embutramide and mebezonium iodide in a suicide after tanax injection.
abstract: Tanax is a veterinary formulation for euthanasia comprising embutramide, mebezonium iodide and tetracaine. A 37-year-old female was found dead on her bed, with three empty used syringes and a bottle of Tanax beside her body. Three needle puncture marks were observed on the body. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of embutramide and mebezonium iodide in different biological matrices (femoral and cardiac blood, liver, muscle and vitreous humor) using a chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of the two drugs. A direct and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed in multiple reaction monitoring mode with positive ionization. Lidocaine was used as an internal standard. Limits of detection and quantitation of 0.01 and 0.05 mg/L, respectively, were reached for both compounds. Embutramide levels ranged from 2.74 mg/L in vitreous humor to 5.06 mg/L in femoral blood, while mebezonium iodide was found at widely differing concentrations (ranging from 2.80 mg/kg in muscle to 24.80 mg/kg in liver). The chromatographic method developed for this study provides a very simple and sensitive means for the simultaneous determination of embutramide and mebezonium iodide, the emetic concentrations of which were consistent with suicides reported in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Forensic and Pharmaco-Toxicological Science, University of Pavia. luca.morini@unipv.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Risso
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vignali
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Groppi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000577:Amides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004338:Drug Combinations; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D013405:Suicide; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D013748:Tetracaine; C059324:embutramide; C015591:T 61; C059325:mebezonium