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Distribution of venlafaxine in three postmortem cases.
- Source :
-
Journal of analytical toxicology [J Anal Toxicol] 1996 Oct; Vol. 20 (6), pp. 502-5. - Publication Year :
- 1996
-
Abstract
- Venlafaxine (V) is a second-generation antidepressant approved for use in the United States in 1993. It is a derivative of phenethylamine and is structurally unrelated to first- and other second-generation antidepressants. Nevertheless, its mechanism of action is similar to other antidepressants; it inhibits the reuptake of presynaptic norepinephrine and serotonin. Its major routes of elimination involve O and N demethylation. O-Desmethylvenlafaxine (ODV) is biologically active. Therapeutic concentrations of V and ODV are approximately 0.2 and 0.4 mg/L, respectively. Three cases of drug intoxication involving V are presented. V and ODV were identified by gas chromatography-nitrogen-phosphorus detection after alkaline extraction of the biological specimen. On an HP-5 column, V and ODV elute after bupropion and fluoxetine, but prior to the first-generation antidepressants, sertraline, amoxapine, and trazodone. V and ODV were confirmed by full scan electron impact gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The heart-blood V and ODV concentrations (mg/L) in the three cases were 6.6 and 31; 84 and 15; and 44 and 50, respectively. In Case 1, acetaminophen and diphenhydramine were found in the heart blood at 140 and 2.6 mg/L respectively. In Case 2, amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and chlordiazepoxide were found in the blood at 2.8, 0.5 and 3.3 mg/L, respectively. In each case, the manner of death was suicide.
- Subjects :
- Acetaminophen blood
Acetaminophen metabolism
Acetaminophen urine
Adult
Amitriptyline blood
Amitriptyline metabolism
Amitriptyline urine
Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation metabolism
Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation urine
Bile metabolism
Chlordiazepoxide blood
Chlordiazepoxide metabolism
Chlordiazepoxide urine
Chromatography, Gas
Cyclohexanols metabolism
Cyclohexanols urine
Diphenhydramine blood
Diphenhydramine metabolism
Diphenhydramine urine
Humans
Kidney metabolism
Liver metabolism
Male
Methylation
Middle Aged
Nortriptyline blood
Reference Standards
Suicide
Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation blood
Cyclohexanols blood
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors blood
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0146-4760
- Volume :
- 20
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of analytical toxicology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 8889688
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/20.6.502