title: Biodistribution of diphenhydramine in reproductive organs in an overdose case.
abstract: Motion sickness medications such as Travelmin®prescribed in Japan include diphenhydramine (DPH), dyphylline, diphenidol, and/or caffeine. Herein, we report a patient who died due to rhabdomyolysis after ingesting a DPH containing motion sickness medication. A Japanese male in his 30 s reported missing after going out for a drive early in the morning was found dead in his car in the evening of the same day. An autopsy showed moderate edema, congestion, and several petechiae in both lungs. The brain was congested and edematous with no atherosclerosis of cerebral arteries. The prostate and both testes were slightly edematous. Gastric contents included approximately 15 mL of dark-brown fluid without tablets or food residue. Toxicological examination showed that blood DPH levels in all tissues were between 4.90 and 7.27 μg/mL, which represented toxic to lethal levels. DPH (μg/mL) levels were approximately 3-9 times higher in the prostate (73.42) and testes (left, 28.23; right, 30.09) than those in all regions of the brain (range 7.75-12.33). Blood dyphylline, diphenidol and caffeine levels in reproductive organs reached high, but not toxic levels. In conclusion, DPH, dyphylline, diphenidol, and caffeine levels were higher in reproductive organs such as the prostate and testes than in the central nervous system and heart. As we determined in this case, motion sickness medications might accumulate in reproductive organs. Thus, further examination of tissue biodistribution of DPH, dyphylline, diphenidol, and caffeine is necessary to assess their potential long-term effects in these sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oritani
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.|Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center, c/o Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Michiue
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.|Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center, c/o Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.|Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center, c/o Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan. takaki@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp.|Forensic Autopsy Section, Medico-legal Consultation and Postmortem Investigation Support Center, c/o Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan. takaki@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D004155:Diphenhydramine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D004155:Diphenhydramine
keywords: Diphenhydramine; Motion sickness; Pathology; Reproductive organ; Toxicology