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Postmortem redistribution of THC in the pig.

Bertrand Brunet¹, Thierry Hauet, William Hébrard

¹INSERM U927, Université de Poitiers, Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, CHU de Poitiers, 6 rue de la Milétrie, BP 577, 86021, Poitiers, France. bertrand.brunet@chu-poitiers.fr

International Journal of Legal Medicine

|January 7, 2010

Summary

Postmortem redistribution of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in pigs shows blood concentrations shift after death. Lung and brain tissues offer more reliable THC levels for toxicological analysis.

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Administration of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Adolescent and Adult Mice

Administration of Δ⁹-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Adolescent and Adult Mice

Published on: August 1, 2025

Area of Science:

Forensic Toxicology
Pharmacokinetics

Background:

Postmortem redistribution of drugs can complicate toxicological interpretation.
Understanding tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) redistribution is crucial for accurate postmortem analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the postmortem redistribution patterns of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in a porcine model.
To identify reliable biological specimens for postmortem THC concentration interpretation.

Main Methods:

Intravenous administration of THC to Large White pigs.
Euthanasia followed by postmortem sample collection at various time points (0-48 hours).
Analysis of THC concentrations in blood and tissues using quantitative methods.

Main Results:

THC concentrations in vena cava blood decreased postmortem, while cardiac blood concentrations increased.
Blood samples from various sites did not accurately reflect perimortem THC levels.
Lung tissue exhibited the highest THC concentrations, and brain tissue showed the most stability over time.

Conclusions:

Postmortem redistribution of THC significantly alters blood concentrations.
Lung and brain tissues are recommended for more reliable postmortem THC interpretation.
Findings aid forensic toxicologists in specimen selection for cannabinoid analysis.