title: An accidental fatal intoxication with methoxetamine.
abstract: This paper reports an unintentional death involving the administration of methoxetamine [2-(3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(ethylamino)-cyclohexanone] and offers some reference values from living drug abusers. Methoxetamine is a new recreational drug with a similar structure to ketamine. The deceased was a 26-year-old male with a history of drug abuse; he was found lying on the floor in his apartment. Several "red-line" plastic bags were found, one of which was labeled "2-(3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(ethylamino)-cyclohexanone" and another labeled "Haze." In four cases from living subjects with unknown doses, concentrations of methoxetamine were found from 0.13 to 0.49 µg/g. In three of the cases, the blood samples also contained natural or synthetic cannabinoids. In the autopsy case, a considerably higher concentration of methoxetamine, 8.6 µg/g, was found in femoral blood. In addition, tetrahydrocannabinol and the three different synthetic cannabinoids AM-694, AM-2201, and JWH-018, were present in femoral blood. The circumstances and the high femoral blood concentration of methoxetamine point toward an unintentional, acute fatal intoxication with methoxetamine, although the presence of the three synthetic cannabinoids may have contributed to the death.
authors.affiliation: National Board of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, SE-587 58 Linköping, Sweden. maria.wikstrom@rmv.se
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wikström
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thelander
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dahlgren
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kronstrand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning; D003512:Cyclohexanones / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning*; D003514:Cyclohexylamines / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000506:poisoning*; D007211:Indoles / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning; D007649:Ketamine / Q000506:poisoning*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C568441:AM 694; D002186:Cannabinoids; D003512:Cyclohexanones; D003514:Cyclohexylamines; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007211:Indoles; D009281:Naphthalenes; D007649:Ketamine; C552597:1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole; C569113:2-(3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(ethylamino)cyclohexanone