A case report on potential postmortem redistribution of furanyl fentanyl and 4-ANPP

• Published in: Forensic science international 2019-11, Vol.304, p.109915-109915, Article 109915
• Main Authors: Freni, Francesca, Pezzella, Sara, Vignali, Claudia, Moretti, Matteo, Cisini, Simone, Rossetti, Chiara, Ravizza, Rossana, Motta, Marco, Groppi, Angelo, Morini, Luca
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 4-ANPP; Analgesics, Opioid - analysis; Analgesics, Opioid - pharmacokinetics; Bile - chemistry; Case reports; Chromatography, Liquid; Edema; Fentanyl; Fentanyl - analogs & derivatives; Fentanyl - analysis; Fentanyl - pharmacokinetics; Forensic sciences; Forensic Toxicology - methods; Furans - analysis; Furans - pharmacokinetics; Furanyl fentanyl; Gastrointestinal Contents - chemistry; Humans; Hypotheses; LC–MS/MS; Male; Mass Spectrometry; Middle Aged; Narcotics; Opioid-Related Disorders - complications; Postmortem; Postmortem Changes; Supervision; Synthetic Drugs - analysis; Synthetic Drugs - pharmacokinetics; Tissue distribution; Urine; Veins & arteries
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.109915

[Display omitted] •Furanylfentanyl and 4-ANPP detected and quantitated on fatal intoxication case.•Postmortem redistribution of furanylfentanyl and 4-ANPP was checked in a real case.•Furanylfentanyl and 4-ANPP were quantitated for the first time in CSF. Fatal intoxications due to accidental or voluntary intake of synthetic opioids represent an actual emerging issue. We report a case where we have analyzed furanyl fentanyl and its metabolite 4–anilino-N-phenetyl-piperidine (4-ANPP) in blood, urine, gastric content, bile and cerebrospinal fluid. In this case, a 53-year-old man was found dead at home with a needle still inserted in a vein; a plastic bag containing a white powder (later identified as a furanyl fentanyl-based product) was discovered in the room. Biological samples were collected during autopsy and extracted/purified onto a SPE cartridge before instrumental analysis. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed by LC–MS/MS on peripheral and cardiac blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), bile and gastric content. Furanyl fentanyl was identified and quantified in all the biological fluids collected. Interestingly, gastric content revealed an unexpected high amount of furanyl fentanyl; yet, cardiac blood and femoral blood provided significantly different concentrations (11.8 and 2.7 ng/g respectively). The concentration of furanyl fentanyl in CSF was similar to that measured in femoral blood (2.6 ng/mL), thus confirming that CSF could be a good alternative biological fluid whenever a postmortem redistribution is suspected. Concentrations of 93.5, 50.4, 171.7, 41.9, 10.2 ng/mL(g) were measured for 4-ANPP in cardiac blood, femoral blood, urine, bile and cerebrospinal fluid, respectively. The outcomes from the presented case report suggest that the two substances have been not only injected intravenously, but probably also ingested by the man. Fentanyl derivative and its precursor seemed to undergo an extensive postmortem redistribution.