A report on the analysis of orphenadrine in post mortem specimens

A discussion of the methods reported for the analysis of orphenadrine is given. The drug levels in biological specimens and the methods reported vary widely. The stability and extractability of orphenadrine is investigated and a method suggested, which uses subtilisin digestion of tissue followed by extraction with 1-chlorobutane. Body fluids are extracted directly by 1-chlorobutane after pH adjustment. Analysis is performed by gas chromatography with a nitrogen selective detector and no interferences are observed from bland specimens. The following levels are results from a case of a 19-year-old male who was found dead 2.5 hours after last being seen alive. This laboratory analysed the case using diphenhydramine as an internal standard: blood 18.1 micrograms/mL, liver 242 micrograms/g, urine 7.0 micrograms/mL, stomach contents 1452 mg.