title: Asenapine (Saphris®): GC-MS method validation and the postmortem distribution of a new atypical antipsychotic medication.
abstract: Asenapine (Saphris®) is an atypical antipsychotic approved in the USA in 2009 for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Toxicology Laboratory developed an analytical method for the detection and quantitation of asenapine by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy in multiple specimens of postmortem casework. Asenapine was isolated from specimens through a basic, liquid-liquid extraction procedure and quantitated utilizing D5-fentanyl as an internal standard. Method validation for asenapine was conducted utilizing the Scientific Working Group Toxicology (SWGTOX) method validation draft proposal and the tissue distribution of four case studies was determined. The authors believe that these are the first cases to be reported in the literature and are intended to assist other forensic toxicologists with interpreting their casework.
authors.affiliation: 1Los Angeles County Department of Coroner, 1104 N. Mission Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pleitez
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mertens-Maxham
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wade
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes; D005260:Female; D053593:Forensic Toxicology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; C522667:asenapine