Post mortem chiral analysis of MDMA and MDA in human blood and hair.
Forensic science international November 1, 2024 Julian Bickel, Alexander Müller, Hilke Jungen et al. 3 citations
MDMA (Ecstasy) consumption causes fewer lethal intoxications than opioids despite widespread use. Analysis of post mortem blood samples from eleven MDMA-related fatalities showed wide ranges of MDMA and MDA concentrations and enantiomer ratios. Variability in R/S MDMA ratios could be linked to the time period of metabolism. Hair analysis revealed high MDMA concentrations in all segments regardless of prior drug abuse history, indicating hair analysis may not be suitable for assessing past drug use in ecstasy-related fatalities. Elevated levels of the MDMA enantiomer correlated with longer survival times in intoxication cases, but there was no clear evidence that slowed MDMA metabolism caused lethal intoxications.