Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Drug Toxicity: Overview01:00

Drug Toxicity: Overview

Drug toxicity quantifies the harm a compound causes to an organism, varying by dose and potentially impacting whole systems or specific organs like the liver. Toxic reactions may arise from venomous insect or spider bites, with effects ranging from mild symptoms to severe outcomes such as brain damage or death. Common forms of acute poisoning include ethanol intoxication and overdose of pain or fever medications, with substances like GHB and heroin being particularly lethal at doses close to...
Toxic Reactions: Overview01:26

Toxic Reactions: Overview

When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios01:26

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios

Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison01:14

Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison

In cases of acute poisoning, the primary objective is to prevent further absorption of the toxic substance into the body. Immediate interventions using various decontamination techniques targeting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can achieve this. Decontamination is crucial to prevent poison from entering the systemic circulation, which involves washing affected areas with water and mild soap and removing contaminated clothing. Once external decontamination is done, attention must be turned to...
Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions01:24

Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...
Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment01:26

Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment

Anticholinesterases, also known as cholinesterase inhibitors, work by blocking the breakdown of acetylcholine, leading to its accumulation in the synaptic cleft. This accumulation indirectly enhances both muscarinic and nicotinic actions. These agents are classified as reversible or irreversible based on their mechanism of action.     
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is slower than the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Combined lethal intoxication involving 2-methyl-2-butanol.

International journal of legal medicine·2026
Same author

High-speed particle analysis using forward and backward two-dimensional angular optical scattering.

Optics letters·2026
Same author

Unfallchirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany)·2026
Same author

Correction: Controlled human malaria infection with Plasmodium falciparum demonstrates impact of naturally acquired immunity on virulence gene expression.

PLoS pathogens·2026
Same author

Machine-learning algorithms for detecting intracranial hemorrhage on head computed tomography.

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
Same author

Meniscus and ligament injuries associated with tibial plateau fractures cannot be predicted from CT scans, even with high surgical experience.

Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery·2026
Same journal

Subnuclear lipid-containing vacuolization in cases of ketoacidosis - correlation of morphological findings and ketone body concentrations.

Archiv fur Kriminologie·2018
Same journal

So-called skin signs in acute pancreatitis.

Archiv fur Kriminologie·2018
Same journal

Interrupted (self -)medication with pancuronium(bromide) and fatal outcome.

Archiv fur Kriminologie·2018
Same journal

The Clinical-Forensic Network of Styria as a pilot project: findings of the accompanying socio-scientific study.

Archiv fur Kriminologie·2018
Same journal

Justus v. Liebig and forensic toxicology.

Archiv fur Kriminologie·2018
Same journal

About the influence of burial on the development of forensically relevant blow fly larvae.

Archiv fur Kriminologie·2018
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Driving Under the Influence: How Music Listening Affects Driving Behaviors
07:25

Driving Under the Influence: How Music Listening Affects Driving Behaviors

Published on: March 27, 2019

[Lethal intoxication while driving a car].

Matthias Frank1, Klaus-Peter Philipp, Gerrit Matthes

  • 1Unfallforschung der Abteilung für Unfall- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie, der Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald.

Archiv Fur Kriminologie
|September 15, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A car crash victim initially appeared to have fatal injuries, but autopsy revealed no significant trauma. Forensic toxicology identified lethal levels of the painkiller pethidine, indicating a complex suicide.

More Related Videos

Inducing Acute Liver Injury in Rats via Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4) Exposure Through an Orogastric Tube
06:12

Inducing Acute Liver Injury in Rats via Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4) Exposure Through an Orogastric Tube

Published on: April 28, 2020

A Data Integration Workflow to Identify Drug Combinations Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions
07:40

A Data Integration Workflow to Identify Drug Combinations Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions

Published on: May 27, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Driving Under the Influence: How Music Listening Affects Driving Behaviors
07:25

Driving Under the Influence: How Music Listening Affects Driving Behaviors

Published on: March 27, 2019

Inducing Acute Liver Injury in Rats via Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4) Exposure Through an Orogastric Tube
06:12

Inducing Acute Liver Injury in Rats via Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4) Exposure Through an Orogastric Tube

Published on: April 28, 2020

A Data Integration Workflow to Identify Drug Combinations Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions
07:40

A Data Integration Workflow to Identify Drug Combinations Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions

Published on: May 27, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Accident Reconstruction
  • Medical Autopsy

Background:

  • A passenger car crash resulted in a driver being trapped.
  • The scene initially suggested multiple traumatic injuries as the cause of death.

Observation:

  • A conspicuous cuff was noted on the driver's left forearm.
  • Autopsy revealed no significant physical injuries to the deceased.
  • Forensic toxicology analysis was performed on the driver's bodily fluids.

Findings:

  • Lethal concentrations of the painkiller pethidine were detected.
  • The absence of trauma coupled with high pethidine levels suggests self-administration.
  • The findings point towards a complex suicide scenario.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of comprehensive forensic analysis beyond initial trauma assessment.
  • Understanding the role of drug toxicity in seemingly accidental deaths is crucial.
  • It underscores the need to consider suicide in cases with unusual circumstances and negative autopsy findings.