Homicidal poisoning with glibenclamide

Homicidal poisoning is rare in Sri Lanka although suicidal poisoning, especially with pesticides, is a grave health problem. Clinical and medicolegal findings and the subsequent court proceedings of two cases of homicide due to induced hypoglycaemia with an anti-diabetic drug are presented. The drug used was glibenclamide. Findings emphasize the importance of toxicological analysis and extensive police investigations when the clinical diagnosis and the cause of death are in doubt.