Forensic science international
July 1, 2021
Thomas Gicquel, Camille Richeval, Vadim Mesli et al.
45 citations
A 42-year-old man was found dead at home with bags of 'research chemicals' powders. Toxicological analysis identified three new psychoactive substances (NPS) in his system: 2-fluoro-deschloroketamine (2F-DCK), 3-methoxyeticyclidine (3-MeO-PCE), and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), each with purity above 95%. Peripheral blood concentrations were 1780 µg/L for 2F-DCK, 90 µg/L for 3-MeO-PCE, and 52 µg/L for 5-MeO-DMT. The death was attributed to respiratory depression from a 'cocktail effect' of these substances combined with amphetamine and cocaine. Hair analysis showed a pattern of addiction over several months. This case provides analytical data to aid interpretation in future forensic cases involving arylcyclohexylamine derivatives.
Drug testing and analysis
January 1, 2022
Thomas Gicquel, Romain Pelletier, Camille Richeval et al.
32 citations
Thirteen metabolites of the dissociative drug 2-fluoro-deschloroketamine (2F-DCK) were produced in vitro using human liver microsomes and HepaRG liver cells. Seven additional metabolites, including three Phase II conjugates, were identified in post-mortem bile and urine from a fatal case. Molecular networking helped compare the two in vitro models, which proved complementary. The authors propose that nor-2F-DCK (mass-to-charge 208.1137) and a hydrogenated metabolite (224.1443) are reliable markers for detecting 2F-DCK use in high-resolution mass spectrometry libraries.
Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.)
January 1, 2022
Romain Pelletier, Brendan Le Daré, Loic Grandin et al.
22 citations
A 37-year-old man with a history of drug abuse was found unconscious with bags of powder labeled as research chemicals and traces of powder on his nose. He was rehydrated, intubated, and admitted to the intensive care unit. Urine analysis identified several new psychoactive substances, including high concentrations of 3-OH-PCP (12,085 mg/L) and 3-MeO-PCP (1,100 mg/L), along with 2F-DCK, N-ethylhexedrone, and CMC. Molecular networking, a bioinformatic approach, confirmed that the powders in the bags matched the substances found in the patient's urine. This case demonstrates how molecular networking can aid in sample comparison, target quantification methods, and support treatment decisions for intoxications involving arylcyclohexylamine compounds.
Forensic science international
September 1, 2016
Thomas Gicquel, Chloé Hugbart, Françoise Le Devehat et al.
20 citations
A 30-year-old woman died after consuming a powder she bought online that was labeled as iboga (Tabernanthe iboga). Analysis of the powder found no ibogaine but instead contained toxic alkaloids—ajmaline, yohimbine, and reserpine—which are characteristic of Rauvolfia plant species. Blood concentrations were 109.1 ng/mL ajmaline, 98.2 ng/mL yohimbine, and 30.8 ng/mL reserpine; bile concentrations were much higher. The death was attributed to ingesting a substantial quantity of crushed Rauvolfia roots combined with concomitant drug withdrawal.
Medicine
July 2, 2020
Brendan Le Daré, Thomas Gicquel, Alain Baert et al.
11 citations
A 26-year-old man with no psychiatric history and no suicidal symptoms was found dead in a locked house with large neck wounds. A dropper bottle containing LSD was near the body, and toxicology confirmed acute LSD exposure: LSD at 1460 pg/mL and O-H-LSD at 182 pg/mL in blood, with LSD, nor-LSD, and O-H-LSD in urine at 3670, 201, and 4890 ng/L. This is the first reported case of fatal self-inflicted neck wounds during acute LSD intoxication in a person without prior mental illness. The case is notable given renewed interest in LSD therapy, though the literature has not shown a link between LSD exposure and suicide risk.
La Presse Médicale
January 1, 2015
Thomas Gicquel, Sylvie Lepage, Isabelle Morel
4 citations
LSD, a hallucinogenic substance also known as acid, is used recreationally. In France, it is classified as an illicit narcotic under a 1990 decree. The text provides a basic definition and legal status of the molecule, noting its psychotropic properties and recreational use.
Emergency Care Journal
June 27, 2022
Brendan Le Daré, Romain Pelletier, Aurélien Couette et al.
1 citation
A 20-year-old man arrived at an emergency department in a state of euphoria, disorientation, intense visual hallucinations, episodic amnesia, and agitation requiring physical restraint after consuming an unusual form of hallucinogenic mushroom. The patient's family brought intact specimens, but no health professional could identify them. Toxicological screening detected psilocin in both the patient's urine and the mushrooms, guiding identification toward the Psilocybes genus. Ten hours after ingestion, the patient was discharged asymptomatic. Recognizing unusual forms of hallucinogenic mushrooms may help emergency physicians improve diagnosis and management, especially since hallucinogenic substances are not routinely tested in toxicological analyses.