Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology

Toxicology

a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine (more specifically pharmacology) concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms.

postmortem drug testing

The branch of toxicology focused on the analysis of biofluids after death of the body.

workplace drug testing

A branch of toxicology focused on analysis of employee samples

biofluids

Blood, urine, bile, etc.; fluids obtained from the body

ADME

The process by which a drug moves through the body: absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion

Opiates

A term for the class of narcotic drugs derived from the opium plant, including morphine and codeine. heroin is produced from morphine

depressants

Substance that depress the central nervous system and cause symptoms such as slowed heart rate and breathing

amphetamine

A controlled substance that, along with its analogs such as methamphetamine, creates an excitatory condition (stimulation), state of weakfulness, and euphoria

stimulants

Drugs that produce produces a temporary increase of functional activity or efficiency

Aenorexic

precursors

Substances that can be converted into an abused substances

cocaine

A control substance derived from the erythroxylin cocoa plant that creates an excitatory condition (stimulation), state of wakefulness, and euphoria

cannabiboids

A term applied to marijuana and parts of the plant Cannabis sativa in which tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active

Tetrahydricannabinol (THC)

The active ingredient in Marijuana

Polypharmacy

A mixture of drugs

volume of distribution

An equation that relates dose of a drug to blood concentration

Gas chromatography

Gas flowing through a coated tube separates compounds by their size, weight, and chemical reactivity with the coating of the cube or column

Cyanide

A highly toxic chemical, especially in the form of gas (hydorgen cyanide)

methemoglobin

An oxidized form of hemoglobin.

cyanomethemoglobin

A complex of cyanide and methemoglobin; used to treat cyanide posioning

carboxyhemoglobin

Hemoglobin in which the oxygen has been replaced by carbon monoxide (CO)

thin layer chromatography (TLC)

The use of a solvent that travels through a porous medium to separate compounds based on their chemical affinity with the solvent and the medium

mobile phase

In a chromatographic system such as thin layer chromatography or gas chromatography, the phase that moves.

carrier gas

The mobile phase in gas chromatography (GC)

GC-MS

Acronym for gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

National Institute of High Standards and Technology (NIST)

Federal agency responsible fro setting, approving, and maintaining measurements and materials standards in the United States (formerly National Bureau of Standards)

liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)

An analytical instrument that combines a liquid chromatography with a mass spectrometer as the detect; analogous to GC-MS

thermolabile

A substance that breaks at elevated temperatures

tandem mass spectrometery

A detection system with more than one mass spectrometer in series

colorimetric testing

testing in which a change or production of color is used to screen for compounds

marsh test

first and most famous color-based test for arsenic

inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

A form of mass spectrometry used to detect inorganic materials and metals

Toxicokinetics/ pharmacokinetics

The study of how genetic factors influence toxicology and drug effectiveness

toxicogenetics/ pharmacogenetics

The study of the genetic influences on the responses of organisms to toxins.

postmortem redistribution

The redistribution of drugs in the body that occurs after death

Controlled Substance Act (CSA)

legislation in the US that defines illegal drugs and classifies them by schedules

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

The US government agency responsible for regulation of controlled drugs

Over the counter (OTC)

Medicines that can be purchased without a prescription

cutting agents

A substance added to an illicit drug to reduce the concentration

standards

analytical standards established by a consensus of the scientific community engaged in the analysis of drugs of abuse

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

A group of that establishes national and international standard practices fr procedures and analyses

SWGDRUG

Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs

Botanical examinations

Study of various plant structure, such as roots, stems, branches, leaves, fruits, or flower, that may be used to determine time and season of death as well as possible prior location of remains

macroscopic examinations

Visual examination generally performed with the unaided eye; used to identify class characteristics

cystolithic (bear-claw shaped) hairs

hairs on the surface of a leaf/ finer clothing

Duquenois-Levine

Chemical color test used to confirm the presence of cannabinoids in plant material

hashish

The resin from marijuana that has been isolated from the plant material

mescaline

A hallucinogen found in cactus buttons

alkaloids

Substance formed by in the plant tissues and in the bodies of animals. Morphine and codeine are alkaloids of opium

psilocin

a substituted tryptamine alkaloid and a serotonergic psychedelic substance

psilocybin

a naturally occurring psychedelic compound produced by more than 200 species of mushrooms, collectively known as psilocybin mushrooms

wet chemical procedures

Procedure that involve solvents, extractions, etc.; not instruments

microcrystaline tests

A reaction between the compound of interest and chemical reagent that results in the formation of unique crystals that can be observed with the micrscope

extractions/ liquid extraction

Separation of the compound of interest from the rest of the samples

infrared spectroscopy

Use of the absorption of infrared radiation to produce a chemical fingerprint of a substances; also referred to as IR spectroscopy

clandestine drug laboratories

Illicit location that manufactures controlled substances