Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Testing Animal Anxiety in Rats: Effects of Open Arm Ledges and Closed Arm Wall Transparency in Elevated Plus Maze Test
Published on: June 29, 2018
[Fatal outcome of poisoning with the benzodiazepines flunitrazepam and diazepam]
Björn Ahrens1, Gertrud Rochholz, Folker Westphal
1Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universitätsklinikums Kiel.
Abstract:
On a wintry day a 29-year-old woman was found dead beside her car showing head injuries and signs of hypothermia. Several empty packets of sedative and hypnotic drugs were lying inside the car. Toxicological analysis revealed the presence of flunitrazepam (heart blood of the left and right chamber 0.033 mg/L each), norflunitrazepam (left heart blood 0.029 mg/L, right heart blood 0.027 mg/L), 7-amino-flunitrazepam (left heart blood 0.090 mg/L, right heart blood 0.104 mg/L), diazepam (left heart blood 0.395 mg/L, right heart blood 0.386 mg/L), nordazepam (left heart blood 0.112 mg/L, right heart blood 0.115 mg/L) and temazepam (left heart blood 0.034 mg/L, right heart blood 0.033 mg/L). Neither alcohol nor other drugs were found. It was concluded that benzodiazepine intake led to a disturbance of consciousness. Whether the woman died in this situation due to the icy temperature as a result of hypothermia or whether she died or would have died solely due to benzodiazepine overdosage could not be clarified.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

