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Related Experiment Videos

Postmortem redistribution of morphine in rats.

G Koren1, J Klein

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
|December 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary
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Postmortem (PM) morphine levels in blood can increase significantly after death due to redistribution. These elevated concentrations may not reflect antemortem morphine levels, complicating death investigations.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Pharmacology
  • Postmortem Medicine

Background:

  • Morphine is frequently detected in postmortem blood samples.
  • Determining if morphine levels indicate cause of death is crucial.
  • Postmortem redistribution of morphine has not been previously investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phenomenon of postmortem morphine redistribution.
  • To determine if postmortem morphine concentrations differ from antemortem levels.
  • To assess the impact of postmortem redistribution on interpreting morphine levels in forensic cases.

Main Methods:

  • Adult Wistar rats were administered morphine (4 mg/kg, intramuscular).
  • Cardiac blood samples were collected at the time of death (2 hours postdose).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Morphine concentrations were measured at 24 and 96 hours postmortem.

    • Main Results:

    • Morphine concentrations in cardiac blood significantly increased from 41.4 ng/ml at death to 111.9 ng/ml at 24 hours postmortem (p = 0.00036).
    • No significant additional increase was observed at 96 hours postmortem (98.7 ng/ml).
    • Endogenous substances cross-reacting with the morphine assay were found, contributing minimally (3%) to the total accumulation.

    Conclusions:

    • Substantial redistribution of morphine occurs after death.
    • Elevated postmortem morphine levels do not necessarily represent antemortem concentrations.
    • Interpretation of postmortem morphine findings requires consideration of redistribution effects.