%0 Case Reports
%T A fatal case of poisoning with a cathinone derivative: α-PiHP and its postmortem distribution in body fluids and organ tissues.
%A Wachholz P
%A Celiński R
%A Bujak-Giżycka B
%A Skowronek R
%A Pawlas N
%J J Anal Toxicol
%V 47
%N 6
%D 2023 Jul 22
%M 37130049
%F 3.22
%R 10.1093/jat/bkad026
%X New psychoactive substances continue to appear on the drug market, and alpha-pyrrolidinoisohexanophenone (α-PiHP) is one of the most popular cathinone derivatives. In this article, we report a case of death caused by α-PiHP. Based on the toxicological results of the studied case along with autopsy, histopathological findings and crime-scene information, fatal intoxication with α-PiHP was accepted as the final cause of death. α-PiHP and its metabolite (OH-α-PiHP) were detected and quantified in all postmortem materials (blood collected from the heart, the femoral vein and the dural venous sinuses; vitreous humor; cerebrospinal fluid; cerebral cortex; brainstem; cerebellum; bile; liver; kidney; heart; pancreas; spleen; thyroid gland; lung; adipose tissue; stomach and intestine). To date, this is the first case of determination of α-PiHP and its metabolite in postmortem specimens. In our opinion, α-PiHP and its metabolite concentration database can be helpful in the interpretation of fatal cases.