CI-mass fragmentographic analysis of methamphetamine and amphetamine in human autopsy tissues after acute methamphetamine poisoning.

A 22-year-old male methamphetamine abuser was put under police protection owing to his abnormal state of excitation, but died 1 h later. Distribution of methamphetamine and amphetamine in the body was analyzed by the chemical ionization mass fragmentographic method. Amphetamine/methamphetamine concentrations (mumol/100 g) were 0.24/5.59 in blood, 0.41/9.43 in liver, 0.41/10.02 in brain, 0.37/9.80 in kidney, 0.18/4.57 in muscle, 0.02/0.63 in subcutaneous fat and 1.87/1464 in gastric contents. Total amount of methamphetamine hydrochloride in stomach contents was about 54 mg. Amphetamine concentrations in tissues ranged from 3.2% to 4.3% of methamphetamine, and was 0.1% in stomach contents. Amphetamine in tissues seems to be a metabolite of methamphetamine, and amphetamine in gastric contents is presumed to result from gastric mucous excretion. The blood concentration of methamphetamine was at a fatal level, and the total amount of the drug in gastric contents indicates that fatal poisoning occurred by ingestion.