Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 16, Issue 5 , Pages 280-283 , July 2009

Disputed case of homicide by smothering due to severe amitriptyline intoxication of the victim

  • Ioannis Stiakakis, PhD MD (Forensic Surgeon)

      Affiliations

    • Department of Forensic Sciences, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece
    • ,
  • Stamatis D. Belivanis, MD (Forensic Surgeon)

      Affiliations

    • Department of Forensic Sciences, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece
    • ,
  • Manolis N. Tzatzarakis, PhD (Toxicologist)

      Affiliations

    • Centre of Toxicology Sciences and Research, Division of Morphology, Department of Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1393, 71409 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding authors. Address: Centre of Toxicology Sciences and Research, Division of Morphology, Department of Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1393, 71409 Heraklion, Crete, Greece. Tel.: +30 2810 394679; fax: +30 2810 542098 (A.M. Tsatsakis), tel.: +30 2810 394660 (M.N. Tzatzarakis).
    • ,
  • Manolis Fragoulis, PhD MD (Forensic Surgeon)

      Affiliations

    • Crete Forensic Service, Ministry of Justice, Grete, Greece
    • ,
  • Aristidis M. Tsatsakis, PhD DSc (ERT, (Toxicologist))

      Affiliations

    • Department of Forensic Sciences, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece
    • Centre of Toxicology Sciences and Research, Division of Morphology, Department of Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1393, 71409 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding authors. Address: Centre of Toxicology Sciences and Research, Division of Morphology, Department of Forensic Sciences, Medical School, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1393, 71409 Heraklion, Crete, Greece. Tel.: +30 2810 394679; fax: +30 2810 542098 (A.M. Tsatsakis), tel.: +30 2810 394660 (M.N. Tzatzarakis).

Received 18 June 2008 ,Revised 25 November 2008 ,Accepted 9 December 2008.

References 

  1. Ghahramani P, Lennnard MS. Quantitative analysis of amitriptyline and nortriptyline in human plasma and liver microsomal preparations by high-performance liquid chromatography. J Chromatogr Biomed Appl. 1996;685(2):307–313
  2. Gareri P, Stilo G, Bevacqua I, Mattace R, Ferreri G, De Sarro G. Antidepressant drugs in the elderly. Gen Pharmacol. 1998;30(4):465–475
  3. Coudore F, Ardid D, Eschalier A, Lavarenne J, Fialip J. High performance liquid chromatography determination of amitriptyline and its main metabolites using a silica column with reversed-phase eluent. J Chromatogr A. 1992;584(2):249–255
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  7. Crome P. Poisoning due to tricyclic antidepressant overdosage. Clinical presentation and treatment. Med Toxicol. 1986;1(4):261–285
  8. Di Maio V, Di Maio D. Forensic Pathology. In: Interpretive toxicology: drug abuse and drug deaths. 2nd ed.. Aspyxia: CRC Press LLC; 2001;[p. 231, 234, 535]
  9. Hebb JH, Caplan YH, Crooks CR, Mergenr WJ. Blood and tissue concentrations of tricyclic antidepressant drugs in postmortem cases: literature survey and a study of forty deaths. J Anal Toxicol. 1982;6(5):209–216
  10. Pokrajac M, Miljkovi B, Timotijevi I. The influence of different amitriptyline doses on its concentrations and pharmacokinetics. Europ Neuropsychopharmacol. 1995;5(3):282
  11. Hicks LJ, Scanlon MJ, Bostwick TC, Batten PJ. Death by smothering and its investigation. Am J Foren Med Pathol. 1990;11(4):291–293
  12. Wolodzko AA, Taff ML, Ratanaproeska O, Spitz WU. An unusual case of compression asphyxia and smothering. Am J Foren Med Pathol. 1986;7(4):354–355
  13. Belivanis S, Fragoulis M, Tzatzarakis M, Tsatsakis A. A fatal case due to tricyclic antidepressant intoxication. Amitriptyline and nortriptyline distribution in post-mortem biological samples. In: Proceeding of 3rd European academy of forensic science triennial meeting, 2003, September 22–27, Istanbul, Turkey, vol. 136(Suppl. 1). Forensic Science International; 2003. p. 314–314.

PII: S1752-928X(08)00232-1

doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2008.12.001

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 16, Issue 5 , Pages 280-283 , July 2009

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