3
ers Ireland Ltd.
84
following i.v. injection [9]. A recent increase in cocaine deaths in has allowed us the spportunity to confirm our previous obse fore, we now present the tissue dis sition of cocaine in five
at their residence by girlfriends, or as in case 2 in a motel roo
the death scene
ly following collection at autopsy, specimens to preven mes. Tissues were i
soli
wh 1
s e No. Sex
s A (ye-)
ace
hl
t
NW
ma?)
130
92
4
30 39 52 20
169
55
5
3
176
77
1
lack;
Other
een previiously outhed
Quantitative detemina with a nitrogen detector [
an
s Iiquid tissue
homogenates
WI
5 mg/l, and the maxi
macskinetics of cocaine s were sufficient to (incremed heart rat
as9subjective euphoric
86 T4BLE 2 DISPOSITION OF COCAINE IN FATAL Specimen
Blood Bile lbain Eierrrt Kidney Liver
__
(w/l;
nng/kg)
Cases la
2
1.8 10.0 4.0 6.1 26.0 1.6 3.4 22.0 6.1 1.0 3B”O 2.4
6.9 18.0 24.0 26.0 17.0
3 31.0
4
5
133
3.9 3.2 6.4 5.3 34.0 15.0 27,O 1
25.6 59.0 -
83.0
58.0 6.5 69.0
2 30.0 41.Q
27 0.0
0.7 27.0
_ ._~~
*Previously re
mg/l. Therefore, from present phar able to assume that c potentially life threaten We previously repo noting the agreement between c additional four cases tions and are consist tissue disposition of cocaine in the highest concentrations of co orgtis; kidney, spleen, brain and scle. A review of
okinetie and forensic
ere found in the
concentrations of cocaine in three cases and second highest i two cases. Lung and brain concentrations exceeded those of 3 and 4, respectively. Following i.v. bolus injection of any drug, the Bungsare immediately exposed to the initially accumulate high cone drug is distributed thaoug refore, one may assume, the pid a death follow ater the concentration of drug in lung. The massive in case 3 indicate a rapid death fol cocaine injection. In contrast t43 other drugs of abuse, the brain is or site of cocaine disposition as
88 10 A. Poklis and M.A. Mackell, Pentazocine an tripelennamine (T’s and blues) ::buse: 6 (1982) 109-114. toxicological findings in 39 cases. J. A&. c analysis for cocaine in human 11 P.I. Satlow and D.N. Bailey, Qas-cbrom plasma with use of a nitrogen detector. Clrsu. em., a1 (1975) 1918-1921. Gas cbromatographic determination of 12 B.H. Dvorchik, SM. Miller and cocaine in whole blood plasma k-sensitive flame ionization detector. 9. Chromatogr., 135 (1977) 141 13 C.E. Cook, AR Jeffcoat and , Pharmacokinetic studies of cocaine and phencyelidine in man. In 6. .N. Chiang (eds.), Pharmacokinetics ati Pharnaocodynomics of Psych iomedical Publications, Foster City9 CA, 1985, pp. 48-74. 14 M. Perez-Reyes, Bharmacodynuni Chiang
~tri~~tio~ and metsboliim of co@rairne IQ1 (1951) 20@-204. logical disposition rapidbiotransformanically tested rats. 9. Pharmacol. 3~. T&v.,
18 P.K. Kayak, AL. Misra and S.J. tion of 3Hcocaine in acutely an 196 (1976) 556-559. 19 N.S. Shah, D.A. May and J.D. Yates, cocaine in pregnant and non-pregnant mice. Towicol. Appl. Pk~~~~o~., 27 (1975) 784-786.