Published: Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Volume 21, Number 4, July/August 1997, pp. 258–261.
Distribution of
Codeine, Morphine, and 6-Acetylmorphine in Vitreous Humor
D.-L. Lin, C.-Y. Chen, K.-P. Shaw, R. Havier, and R.-L. Lin
Two hundred and twenty-three vitreous humor specimens, which were obtained from a medical examiner’s office, were found to be opiate positive (cutoff, 50 ng/mL) by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. All samples were analyzed for their free codeine, morphine, and 6-acetylmorphine contents by a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry protocol. 6-Acetylmorphine was found (cutoff, 10 ng/mL) in 41 specimens in the concentration range of 10–125 ng/mL. Twenty specimens had a free codeine–free morphine concentration ratio Š 1. Eighty-five samples that were found to contain 50 ng/mL free morphine were further analyzed for their total codeine and total morphine contents. Total codeine–total morphine concentration ratios in 8 (of the 85 samples) were Š 1, whereas this ratio in the others (only those with a codeine concentration higher than 15 ng/mL were included) was significantly lower than 1. The codeine–morphine concentration ratio in vitreous humor appears to resemble that reported for blood and urine and can be used as the basis for differentiating between codeine- and morphine- (heroin-) induced fatalities.
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