Authors: Matsumoto T.¹; Sano T.¹; Matsuoka T.¹; Aoki M.¹; Maeno Y.²; Nagao M.¹

Source: Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Volume 27, Number 2, March 2003 , pp. 118-122(5)

Publisher: Preston Publications

Abstract:

An adult female ingested a considerable quantity of carisoprodol/acetaminophen tablets, which are not commercially available in Japan, in an attempt to commit suicide. Generally, because of lack of the appreciable ultraviolet absorbance or fluorescence, carisoprodol and its major metabolite meprobamate are determined by gas chromatography or gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Complicated derivatization is, however, necessary to that methodology. Thus, we investigated the derivatization-free, highly sensitive, and simultaneous determination of carisoprodol, meprobamate, and acetaminophen by means of liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC&Eth;MS) with positive electrospray ionization. A semi-micro ODS column was used. Ammonium acetate solution (10mM) and acetonitrile were used as mobile phase at a flow rate of 150 L/min using gradient elution. MS parameters were as follows: capillary voltage, 3.5 kV; cone voltage, +30 V; extractor voltage, 5 kV; and ion source temperature, 100°C. Urine samples pretreated by Oasis™ HLB cartridge, or plasma samples deproteinized by adding ice-cold acetonitrile were analyzed by LC–MS. The limits of quantitation for each compound were as follows: 0.50 ng/mL for carisoprodol; 10 ng/mL for acetaminophen; and 1.0 ng/mL for meprobamate. In the present case, carisoprodol and acetaminophen were the only drugs detected. Meprobamate was also found as the metabolite of carisoprodol in both urine and plasma. The plasma levels of carisoprodol, acetaminophen, and meprobamate on arrival were 29.5, 245, and 46.7 g/mL, respectively. These levels were extremely high compared with therapeutic plasma concentrations. Despite the high plasma concentrations of these drugs, which correspond to fatal levels, the patient survived.

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Criminal Investigation Laboratory, Aichi Prefectural Police Hdqrs., 1-1 Sannomaru 2-chome, Naka-ku, Nagoya 460-8502, Japan 2: Department of Forensic Medical Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-0001, Japan

Publication date: 2003-03-01

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• The Journal of Analytical Toxicology (JAT), established in 1977 and published 9 times a year, is the international source covering a broad range of clinical, forensic, and industrial laboratory topics regarding the isolation, identification, and quantitation of potentially toxic substances.

  With an emphasis on practical application, JAT articles provide improved and novel techniques for use in clinical, forensic, workplace, sports testing (doping), and other toxicology laboratories. Articles describe newly developed methods in immunoassay testing, gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, solid and liquid phase extraction techniques, and other analytical approaches. Worldwide readership includes toxicologists, pathologists, chemists, clinicians, researchers, and educators working in medical examiner and law enforcement laboratories, hospitals, university and independent analytical laboratories, as well as the drug manufacturing industry.

  Each year in October, we publish a special issue from the Society of Forensic Toxicologists.

  JAT, as determined by ISI Citation Index, is one of the two most referenced international journals in forensic science.

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