Forensic Toxicology

Question 1

What is a drug?

Answer 1

A drug is a natural or synthetic substance that is designed to produce a specific set of psychological or physiological effects on the human body or other animals.

Question 2

o What are the primary “roles” of forensic toxicology?

Answer 2

1) Assist the Pathologist and Coroner/Medical Examiner in determining the cause and in some cases the manner of death
2) Assist the Justice system (Police, Crown and Defense counsels) in determining the role or effect of drugs and/or alcohol in criminal investigations

Question 3

“Duties” of a Toxicologist:

Answer 3

1) Analyze case information – determine what type of analyses need to be completed
2) Examine biological and non-biological samples for the presence/absence of common drugs and poisons
3) Interpretation of the findings – written report
4) Testify as an expert witness in court

Question 4

Types of compounds examined for in forensic toxicology: 2 points

Answer 4

1. Licit Drugs-are manufactured to have a specific, reproducible, predictable, beneficial effects on the human body. *Tylenol
2. Illicit Drugs or Drugs of Abuse- are licit drugs with desirable psychoactive effects or side effects that are abused OR are naturally occurring or semi-synthetic substances that have pleasurable psychoactive effects that are abused. ** Oxycontin & Cannabis **

Question 5

PHARMACOLOGY

Answer 5

is the study of drug action

Question 6

Pharmacokinetics

Answer 6

is the study of how drugs move into and out of the body.

Question 7

Pharmacokinetics: There are 4 processes:

Answer 7

1) ABSORPTION- how drugs are introduced into the body. Can be through gastrointestinal tract (oral), intramuscular, intravenous, rectal, topical (thru skin), subcutaneous (under the skin) and lungs (inhalation).
2) DISTRIBUTION- Involves the mechanisms by which drugs get to their site of action. Mostly through the bloodstream.
3) METABOLISM-The process whereby a drug or other substance is chemically changed to a different form, called a metabolite.
4) ELIMINATION-the ways that drugs are removed from the body, usually by excretion in the urine and feces. Other forms of elimination include respiration and perspiration.

Question 8

Pharmacodynamics

Answer 8

is the study of the physiological effects of drugs on the body or what the “drug does to the body”.

Question 9

Effects of Pharmacodynamics

Answer 9

1) ABUSE: drug abuse occurs when people take drugs for purposes other than for which they are intended.
2) DEPENDENCE: Addiction & Withdrawal-physical dependence results in a withdrawal syndrome if the substance used is stopped. It includes high temperature, physical discomfort and could be fatal.
3) TOLERENCE-a phenomenon whereby the body’s organ systems adapt to a drug. Therefore, increasing doses are necessary to achieve an equivalent psychoactive effect.
4) SYNERGISM: the total effect on the body of two or more drugs taken together is greater than the effects would be if the drugs were taken separately. Drugs work together to magnify effects or create effects that would not have occurred otherwise. An example would be alcohol and Valium

Question 10

Forensic Toxicology: o What type of samples do we work with?

Answer 10

1. Most common fluids heart blood, femoral blood and urine

2. Less common samples Vitreous fluid, Liver tissue, Stomach contents

Question 11

Where do the samples come from?

Answer 11

Medical/legal autopsies

Question 12

DRUGS OF ABUSE examples

Answer 12

1. MDMA- EX = energy + empathy
2. Synthetic Cannabinoids = man made to be the same as cannabis
3. cannabis = 2 main forms Hash and Marianna
4. BATH SALTS = similar to Cathinone – Effects- Violence/ confusion/ sweating