TY - JOUR
T1 - Time-and temperature-dependent postmortem 9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration changes in rabbits following controlled inhaled cannabis administration
AU - Cliburn, Kacey D.
AU - Kemp, Philip M.
AU - Huestis, Marilyn A.
AU - Wagner, Jarrad R.
AU - Payton, Mark
AU - Liu, Lin
AU - Liang, Yurong
AU - Maxwell, Lara K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023/11/1
Y1 - 2023/11/1
N2 - ostmortem redistribution (PMR), a well-known phenomenon in forensic toxicology, can result in substantial changes in drug concentrations after death, depending on the chemical characteristics of the drug, blood collection site, storage conditions of the body and postmortem interval (PMI). Limited PMR data are available for 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component in Cannabis sativa. PMR was evaluated after controlled cannabis inhalation via a smoking machine and exposure chamber in New Zealand white rabbits. Necropsies were performed on five control rabbits immediately after euthanasia, whereas 27 others were stored at room temperature (21°C) or refrigerated conditions (4°C) until necropsy at 2, 6, 16, 24 or 36 h after death. THC and its Phase I and glucuronidated Phase II metabolites were quantified in blood, vitreous humor, urine, bile and tissues by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Under refrigerated temperature, heart blood THC concentrations significantly increased at PMI 2 h in rabbits, whereas peripheral blood THC concentrations showed a significant increase at PMI 16 h. Central:peripheral blood and liver:peripheral blood ratios for THC ranged from 0.13 to 4.1 and 0.28 to 8.9, respectively. Lung revealed the highest THC concentrations, while brain and liver exhibited the most stable THC concentrations over time. This report contributes much needed data to our understanding of postmortem THC behavior and can aid toxicologists in the interpretation of THC concentrations in medicolegal death investigations.
AB - ostmortem redistribution (PMR), a well-known phenomenon in forensic toxicology, can result in substantial changes in drug concentrations after death, depending on the chemical characteristics of the drug, blood collection site, storage conditions of the body and postmortem interval (PMI). Limited PMR data are available for 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component in Cannabis sativa. PMR was evaluated after controlled cannabis inhalation via a smoking machine and exposure chamber in New Zealand white rabbits. Necropsies were performed on five control rabbits immediately after euthanasia, whereas 27 others were stored at room temperature (21°C) or refrigerated conditions (4°C) until necropsy at 2, 6, 16, 24 or 36 h after death. THC and its Phase I and glucuronidated Phase II metabolites were quantified in blood, vitreous humor, urine, bile and tissues by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Under refrigerated temperature, heart blood THC concentrations significantly increased at PMI 2 h in rabbits, whereas peripheral blood THC concentrations showed a significant increase at PMI 16 h. Central:peripheral blood and liver:peripheral blood ratios for THC ranged from 0.13 to 4.1 and 0.28 to 8.9, respectively. Lung revealed the highest THC concentrations, while brain and liver exhibited the most stable THC concentrations over time. This report contributes much needed data to our understanding of postmortem THC behavior and can aid toxicologists in the interpretation of THC concentrations in medicolegal death investigations.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85179900246&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/jat/bkad076
DO - 10.1093/jat/bkad076
M3 - Article
C2 - 37758448
AN - SCOPUS:85179900246
SN - 0146-4760
VL - 47
SP - 850
EP - 857
JO - Journal of Analytical Toxicology
JF - Journal of Analytical Toxicology
IS - 9
ER -