Comparison of post-mortem xenobiotics in blood, brain and bone marrow

N. Barbera, P. Zuccarello, D. Sangregorio, G. Spadaro, G. Romano, V. Mazzone, A. Laudani

Abstract: The bone marrow is the tissue contained in the center and in the epiphysis of the bones and represents the site where new blood cells are produced. It is one of the potentially alternative tissues in forensic toxicology. It could be particularly useful in that cases with no availability of the usual sample due to advanced state of decomposition or to skeletonization of the corpse. So far, such tissue has been used for the genetic and histopathological post-mortem diagnosis of several malignant pathologies, whilst poor toxicological data about drug distribution or incorporation are available. In the present study, we investigated seven lethal intoxications using blood, brain and rib bone marrow samples collected during autoptic exams and analyzed by UHPLC-MS/MS. The drug concentrations in the bone marrow were lower than the blood and brain ones. The toxicological interpretation of the data is difficult because of the lack of literature about this subject, so that further studies should be conducted.
Keywords: Postmortem bone, bone marrow, Drugs of abuse, UHPLC-MS/MS analysis, Toxicology