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Determination of Drug Levels in Larvae of Protophormia Terraenovae and Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Reared on Rabbit Carcasses Containing Morphine

NCJ Number
187164
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 46 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2001 Pages: 12-14
Author(s)
Valery Hedouin M.D.; Benoit Bourel Ph.D.; Anne Becart D.D.S; Gilles Tournel M.D.; Marc Deveaux Ph.D.; M. Lee Goff Ph.D.; Didier Gosset M.D.
Date Published
January 2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This study examined two species of blow flies (Protophormia terraenovae and Calliphora vicina) that were reared on tissues from rabbits administered different dosages of morphine, so as to determine possible variations in the pharmacokinetics for these species.
Abstract
The species examined are among the first wave of insects that colonize a dead body. Two series of three rabbits were given dosages of 10, 20, and 40 mg/h of morphine over a 3 hour period through ear artery perfusion. A morphine blood level plateau was attained after 1 hour of perfusion. Two other rabbits were used as controls. Samples of tissues collected from rabbits by using a coelioscopic technique were determined to have morphine concentrations similar to those encountered in human overdoses and were correlated with dosages of morphine administered. All samples from control rabbits were negative for morphine. Larvae and puparia of both species were regularly collected from each rabbit for toxicological analysis. Concentrations of morphine in larvae reared on rabbit carcasses containing morphine were significantly lower than concentrations found in the tissues. There was a decrease in concentration in morphine observed in transition from feeding third instar larva to puparium. A correlation between larval concentration and tissue concentration was found only in feeding third instar larvae. 3 tables and 12 references