Tokunaga H, Kudo K, Imamura T, Jitsufuchi N, Nagata T
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Nihon Hoigaku Zasshi. 1996 Jun;50(3):196-202.
The detection levels of 12 antipsychotic drugs as ascertained from drug screening were examined in order to use the screening results effectively for treatment of patients or medico-legal examinations in cases of poisoning. Wide-bore capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus detection was used for the analysis. The detection limits of drugs in plasma using 3 extraction procedures, single-solvent, 3-step solvent and solid-phase extractions were 50-100 ng/ml, 10-200 ng/ml and 5-50 ng/ml, respectively. The detection limits were compared with blood levels previously reported in the literature. Only 4 drugs were detected at the therapeutic level, thioridazine, floropipamide, sultopride and oxypertine using the single-solvent extraction procedure. Using the 3-step solvent extraction procedure, chlorpromazine, levomepromazine and zotepine in addition to the above 4 drugs were detected. Using the solid-phase extraction procedure, 8 of 12 drugs were able to be detected at the therapeutic level, with the exception of perphenazine, haloperidol, bromperidol and nemonapride. These data were proved to be useful for a rapid forensic diagnosis.
