A fatality involving AH-7921

J Anal Toxicol. 2014 May;38(4):226-30. doi: 10.1093/jat/bku011. Epub 2014 Feb 11.

Abstract

A case is presented of a 19-year-old white male who was found dead in bed by a friend. While no anatomic cause of death was observed at autopsy, toxicological analysis of his blood identified AH-7921, a synthetic opioid. AH-7921 was isolated by liquid-liquid extraction into n-butyl chloride from alkalinized samples. Extracts were analyzed and quantified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode. The heart blood had an AH-7921 concentration of 3.9 mg/L and the peripheral blood concentration was 9.1 mg/L. In addition to the blood, all submitted postmortem specimens including urine, liver, kidney, spleen, heart, lung, brain, bile and stomach content were quantified. The following concentrations of AH-7921 were reported: 6.0 mg/L in urine, 26 mg/kg in liver, 7.2 mg/kg in kidney, 8.0 mg/kg in spleen, 5.1 mg/kg in heart, 21 mg/kg in lung, 7.7 mg/kg in brain, 17 mg/L in bile and 120 mg/125 mL in the stomach content. The medical examiner reported that the cause of death was opioid intoxication and the manner of death was accident.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Accidents
  • Adult
  • Analgesics, Opioid / blood
  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacokinetics*
  • Analgesics, Opioid / poisoning*
  • Analgesics, Opioid / urine
  • Benzamides / blood
  • Benzamides / pharmacokinetics*
  • Benzamides / poisoning*
  • Benzamides / urine
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Liquid-Liquid Extraction
  • Male
  • Poisoning / blood
  • Poisoning / etiology
  • Poisoning / urine
  • Postmortem Changes
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Benzamides
  • AH 7921