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 Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 19, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancing DNA Extraction from Necrophilic Fly Samples using Simple Technique
06:33

Author Spotlight: Advancing DNA Extraction from Necrophilic Fly Samples using Simple Technique

Published on: May 3, 2024

600

Unexpected results found in larvae samples from two postmortem forensic cases.

Olwen Groth1, Simon Franz2, Helena Fels2

  • 1Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 26, 80336, Munich, Germany. olwen.groth@med.uni-muenchen.de.

Forensic Toxicology
|December 1, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Direct alcohol biomarkers in blood samples of traffic offenders - correlation between blood alcohol concentration, ethyl glucuronide, and phosphatidylethanol.

International journal of legal medicine·2026
Same author

[Essentials for family doctors who examine corpses - Why a correctly completed death certificate is so important].

MMW Fortschritte der Medizin·2026
Same author

SARS-CoV-2 Anti-Spike IgG Subclass Titres in a Population with Prior Exposure to Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA).

Toxics·2026
Same author

Partial cannabis legalization and the increase of the THC threshold in road traffic: a statistical analysis of traffic cases before and after legal changes.

Traffic injury prevention·2026
Same author

Tissue-Based Multiomic Exploratory Analysis of the Urokinase Plasminogen Activator/uPAR System and Matrix Metalloproteinases in Stroma AReactive Invasion Front Areas-Positive Gastrointestinal Cancers.

Pathobiology : journal of immunopathology, molecular and cellular biology·2026
Same author

Entomological consequences and toxicological detection of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) in necrophagous larvae (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

International journal of legal medicine·2026
Same journal

Post-mortem degradation of flunitrazepam by aldehyde oxidase 1 and hemoglobin in blood.

Forensic toxicology·2026
Same journal

An Ultra-High performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of etomidate, analogues, and metabolites in human nail: Unveiling a unique accumulation profile.

Forensic toxicology·2026
Same journal

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in femoral muscle from forensic autopsy cases: exploring potential indicators of postmortem ethanol production: Part I - comprehensive profiling of postmortem generated VOCs.

Forensic toxicology·2026
Same journal

Development of a similarity discrimination method for cannabis samples using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat-PCR.

Forensic toxicology·2026
Same journal

Comparative stability assessment of novel LSD analogs in dry blood spots and blood using UHPLC-MS/MS: implications for forensic applications.

Forensic toxicology·2026
Same journal

Reinventing quaaludes: a comprehensive review of designer methaqualone analogs.

Forensic toxicology·2026
See all related articles
This summary is machine-generated.

Forensic entomotoxicology using necrophagous larvae can detect xenobiotics in decomposed remains. Larvae analysis successfully identified drugs, including novel psychoactive substances, complementing human specimen findings.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Science
  • Toxicology
  • Entomology

Background:

  • Entomological specimens offer an alternative matrix for xenobiotic detection in forensic toxicology.
  • Medico-legal laboratories rarely implement entomotoxicological procedures routinely.
  • Necrophagous larvae present potential as complementary matrices for toxicological analysis in cases of extensive postmortem decomposition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the potential of necrophagous larvae as complementary matrices for toxicological analysis.
  • To assess the utility of entomotoxicology in cases with limited human specimens due to decomposition.

Main Methods:

  • Collected larvae and postmortem human samples (hair, stomach contents, pericardial fluid, liver, lung, skeletal muscle) during autopsy.
  • Utilized liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry for analysis.
Keywords:
BenzodiazepinesEntomotoxicologyNecrophagous larvaeNew psychoactive substances (NPS)PostmortemSynthetic cannabinoids

More Related Videos

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
07:56

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

17.6K
Mass-Rearing and Molecular Studies in Tortricidae Pest Insects
06:22

Mass-Rearing and Molecular Studies in Tortricidae Pest Insects

Published on: March 25, 2022

2.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 19, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancing DNA Extraction from Necrophilic Fly Samples using Simple Technique
06:33

Author Spotlight: Advancing DNA Extraction from Necrophilic Fly Samples using Simple Technique

Published on: May 3, 2024

600
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
07:56

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

17.6K
Mass-Rearing and Molecular Studies in Tortricidae Pest Insects
06:22

Mass-Rearing and Molecular Studies in Tortricidae Pest Insects

Published on: March 25, 2022

2.8K
  • Screened for pharmaceutical substances, illicit drugs, and new psychoactive substances (NPS) including synthetic cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, synthetic opioids, and stimulants.

    • Main Results:

    • Most xenobiotics found in human specimens, including benzodiazepines and synthetic cannabinoids, were also detected in larvae.
    • Certain NPS, EAM-2201 and U-47700, were exclusively identified in larvae and hair.
    • Etizolam was detected only in specific human tissues, suggesting differential distribution.

    Conclusions:

    • Entomotoxicological analysis of larvae provides supplementary information beyond traditional human specimens in decomposed cases.
    • Findings suggest potential for larvae analysis to aid in identifying causes of death, though further research is needed.
    • External and postmortem contamination of hair requires consideration when interpreting results.