Top

Published in:

01-05-2008 | Original Article

Codeine accumulation and elimination in larvae, pupae, and imago of the blowfly Lucilia sericata and effects on its development

Authors: Hicham Kharbouche, Marc Augsburger, Daniel Cherix, Frank Sporkert, Christian Giroud, Claude Wyss, Christophe Champod, Patrice Mangin

Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine | Issue 3/2008

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of insect larvae as samples for toxicological investigations. For this purpose, larvae of Lucilia sericata were reared on samples of minced pig liver treated with different concentrations of codeine: therapeutic, toxic, and potentially lethal doses. Codeine was detected in all tested larvae, confirming the reliability of these specimens for qualitative toxicology analysis. Furthermore, concentrations measured in larvae were correlated with levels in liver tissue. These observations bring new elements regarding the potential use of opiates concentrations in larvae for estimation of drug levels in human tissues. Morphine and norcodeine, two codeine metabolites, have been also detected at different concentrations depending on the concentration of codeine in pig liver and depending on the substance itself. The effects of codeine on the development of L. sericata were also investigated. Results showed that a 29-h interval bias on the evaluation of the larval stage duration calculated from the larvae weight has to be considered if codeine was present in the larvae substrate. Similarly, a 21-h interval bias on the total duration of development, from egg to imago, has to be considered if codeine was present in the larvae substrate.

Kintz P, Godelar B, Tracqui A, Mangin P, Lugnier AA, Chaumont AJ (1990a) Fly larvae: a new toxicological method of investigation in forensic medicine. J Forensic Sci 35:204–207PubMed

Kintz P, Tracqui A, Mangin P (1990b) Toxicology and fly larvae on a putrefied cadaver. J Forensic Sci Soc 30:243–246PubMed

Kintz P, Tracqui A, Mangin P (1994) Analysis of opiates in fly larvae sampled on a putrefied cadaver. J Forensic Sci Soc 34:95–97PubMedCrossRef

Introna F, Lo Dico C, Caplan YH, Smialek JE (1990) Opiate analysis in cadaveric blowfly larvae as an indicator of narcotic intoxication. J Forensic Sci 35:118–122PubMed

Nolte KB, Pinder RD, Lord WD (1992) Insect larvae used to detect cocaine poisoning in a decomposed body. J Forensic Sci 37:1179–1185PubMed

Goff ML, Brown WA, Hewadikaram KA, Omori AI (1991) Effect of heroin in decomposing tissues on the development rate of Boettcherisca peregrina (Diptera, Sarcophagidae) and implications of this effect on estimation of postmortem intervals using arthropod development patterns. J Forensic Sci 36:537–542PubMed

Goff ML, Brown WA, Omori AI (1992) Preliminary observations of the effect of methamphetamine in decomposing tissues on the development of Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and implications of this effect on the estimations of postmortem intervals. J Forensic Sci 37:867–872PubMed

Goff ML, Brown WA, Omori AI, LaPointe DA (1993) Preliminary observations of the effects of amitriptyline in decomposing tissues on the development of Parasarcophaga ruficornis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and implications of this effect to estimation of postmortem interval. J Forensic Sci 38:316–322PubMed

Bourel B, Hédouin V, Martin-Bouyer L, Bécart A, Tournel G, Deveaux M, Gosset D (1999) Effects of morphine in decomposing bodies on the development of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae). J Forensic Sci 44:354–358PubMed

10.

Carvalho LML, Linhares AX, Trigo JR (2001) Determination of drug levels and the effect of diazepam on the growth of necrophagous flies of forensic importance in southeastern Brazil. Forensic Sci Int 120:140–144PubMedCrossRef

11.

O’Brien C, Turner B (2004) Impact of paracetamol on Calliphora vicina larval development. Int J Legal Med 118:188–189PubMedCrossRef

12.

Kintz P, Tracqui A, Ludes B et al (1990c) Fly larvae and their relevance in forensic toxicology. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 11:63–65PubMedCrossRef

13.

Sadler DW, Richardson J, Haigh S, Bruce G, Pounder DJ (1997) Amitriptyline accumulation and elimination in Calliphora vicina larvae. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 18:397–403PubMedCrossRef

14.

Tracqui A, Keyser-Tracqui C, Kintz P, Ludes B (2004) Entomotoxicology for the forensic toxicologist: much ado about nothing? Int J Legal Med 118:194–196PubMedCrossRef

15.

Maurer HH, Sauer C, Theobald DS (2006) Toxicokinetics of drugs of abuse: current knowledge of the isoenzymes involved in the human metabolism of tetrahydrocannabinol, cocaine, heroin, morphine, and codeine. Ther Drug Monit 28:447–453PubMedCrossRef

16.

Jensen S, Hansen AC (1993) Abuse of codeine separated from over-the-counter drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid and codeine. Int J Legal Med 105:279–281PubMedCrossRef

17.

Kintz P, Tracqui A, Mangin P (1991) Codeine concentrations in human samples in a case of fatal ingestion. Int J Legal Med 104:177–178PubMedCrossRef

18.

Dienes-Nagy A, Rivier L, Giroud C, Augsburger M, Mangin P (1999) Method for quantification of morphine and its 3- and 6-glucuronides, codeine, codeine glucuronide and 6-monoacetylmorphine in human blood by liquid chromatography–electrospray mass spectrometry for routine analysis in forensic toxicology. J Chromatogr A 854:109–118PubMedCrossRef

19.

Baselt RC (2004) Disposition of toxic drugs and chemicals in man, 7th edn. Biomedical Publications, Foster City, pp pp 212–213

20.

Campobasso CP, Gherardi M, Caligara M, Sironi L, Introna F (2004) Drug analysis in blowfly larvae and in human tissues: a comparative study. Int J Legal Med 118:210–214PubMedCrossRef

21.

Yamazaki M, Wakasugi C (1994) Postmortem changes in drug-metabolizing enzymes of rat liver microsome. Forensic Sci Int 67:155–168PubMedCrossRef

22.

Pien K, Laloup M, Pipeleers-Marichal M et al (2004) Toxicological data and growth characteristics of single post-feeding larvae and puparia of Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) obtained from a controlled nordiazepam study. Int J Legal Med 118:190–193PubMedCrossRef

23.

Hédouin V, Bourel B, Martin-Bouyer L et al (1999) Determination of drug levels in larvae of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) reared on rabbit carcasses containing morphine. J Forensic Sci 44:351–353PubMed

24.

Skopp G, Pötsch L, Klingmann A, Mattern R (2001) Stability of morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide, and morphine-6-glucuronide in fresh blood and plasma and postmortem blood samples. J Anal Toxicol 25:2–7PubMed

25.

Schloegl H, Dresen S, Spaczynski K, Stoertzel M, Wurst FM, Weinmann W (2006) Stability of ethyl glucuronide in urine, post-mortem tissue and blood samples. Int J Legal Med 120:83–88PubMedCrossRef

26.

Marchenko MI (2001) Medico-legal relevance of cadaver entomofauna for the determination of the time since death. Forensic Sci Int 120:89–109PubMedCrossRef

Title: Codeine accumulation and elimination in larvae, pupae, and imago of the blowfly Lucilia sericata and effects on its development
Authors: Hicham Kharbouche
Marc Augsburger
Daniel Cherix
Frank Sporkert
Christian Giroud
Claude Wyss
Christophe Champod
Patrice Mangin
Publication date: 01-05-2008
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine / Issue 3/2008
Print ISSN: 0937-9827
Electronic ISSN: 1437-1596
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-007-0217-z

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Codeine accumulation and elimination in larvae, pupae, and imago of the blowfly Lucilia sericata and effects on its development

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 3/2008

Italian mitochondrial DNA database: results of a collaborative exercise and proficiency testing

Single lymphocytes from two healthy individuals with mitochondrial point heteroplasmy are mainly homoplasmic

Measurement of direct ethanol metabolites in a case of a former driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol offender, now claiming abstinence

Bobbi Jo O’Neal: Investigating infant deaths

Mitochondrial control region sequences from a Vietnamese population sample

Development of a five ChX STRs loci typing system