Intoxication by 3-MeO-PCP and O-desmethyltramadol: an unusual NPS mix

Abstract

Over the past few years, the new psychoactive substances' phenomenon has been continuously studied. Its dynamic context is characterized by a broad diversity of substances, including several groups, such as synthetic cathinones, synthetic opiates, and synthetic cannabinoids. However, and due both to this diversity and to the low number of detected cases, information on intoxication reports is always important, in order to understand their biological mechanisms. In this case, a male individual was found unresponsive, with some different powders and paraphernalia near him. After toxicological analysis to the powders, paraphernalia, and whole blood samples, five different compounds were identified. From these, two of them (3-MeO-PCP and o-desmethyltramadol) were identified and quantitated in the whole blood sample. The obtained results suggested that death was due to the presence and action of these two substances, in what may be considered an unusual mix of NPS. This case highlights the value of evaluating all the traces found in the scene investigation and the need of sending all the paraphernalia found for toxicological examination, together with all the possible information obtained on the scene, namely by relatives or witnesses. On the other hand, this case shows the significance of broad-spectrum analytical methods, in order to detect and identify, as specifically as possible, eventual substances present and used by victims.

Keywords: 3-MeO-PCP; Forensic toxicology; Intoxication; O-desmethyl tramadol.