Determination of methylphenidate in Calliphorid larvae by liquid-liquid extraction and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry - Forensic entomotoxicology using an in vivo rat brain model

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

  • Sarah K. Bushby
  • Nicky Thomas
  • Petra A. Priemel
  • Carolyn V. Coulter
  • Rades, Thomas
  • Jules A. Kieser
The aim of this study was to examine the potential forensic utilisation of blowfly larvae (Diptera: Calliphoridae) as an alternative toxicological specimen for the detection of the psychotropic model drug methylphenidate (MPH). MPH was extracted from biological matrices (rat brain, serum and Calliphorid larvae) by liquid-liquid extraction with recovery of >80%, and quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The LC-MS/MS assay was validated for entomotoxicological use and initially applied to male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=6) that were dosed with MPH (20mg/kg) ante-mortem. MPH could be detected in Calliphorid larvae (n=15) reared on the rat brains at 3.2±1.6ng/g. Secondly, MPH-spiked porcine brain tissue (450mg/kg) was used to investigate drug concentration in larvae over a period of 72h. After larvae had feed for 60h, MPH was detected at 19.8±1.4µg/g in the feeding larvae and at 3.5±0.1µg/g in the MPH-spiked porcine brain tissue. It could be advantageous to use Calliphorid larvae as an alternative toxicological specimen to detect alkaline labile drugs, such as MPH.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
Volume70
Pages (from-to)456-61
Number of pages6
ISSN0731-7085
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

ID: 40849053