Ethanol production by Candida albicans in postmortem human blood samples: Effects of blood glucose level and dilution

Yajima, Daisuke; Motani, Hisako; Kamei, Katsuhiko; Sato, Yoshiaki; Hayakawa, Motozo; Iwase, Hirotaro

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.12.009

Cited by 50 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The presence of bacteria and glucose probably made the conditions for in vitro formation of ethanol optimal [3,10,24], but the presence of fluoride as well as storage at 4°C should still be expected to inhibit formation of ethanol. The detected concentrations of free fluoride ions corresponding to 0.21% and 0.25% w/v potassium fluoride in blood and urine, respectively, were somewhat lower than the recommended 1% w/v.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Post-mortem formation of ethanol is a frequent problem in forensic toxicology [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9], and variables like putrefaction [6,9], sugar availability in the actual medium [10] and trauma [4,11] may influence the magnitude of ethanol synthesis. After sample collection, the possibility of in vitro ethanol formation is lowered if the samples are handled according to recommended procedures [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After sample collection, the possibility of in vitro ethanol formation is lowered if the samples are handled according to recommended procedures [1]. Numerous studies have shown that formation of ethanol is inhibited or abolished by addition of a preservative like fluoride ions [1,2,8,10,[12][13][14]. To the authors' knowledge, there is only one published experiment where ethanol was formed in vitro despite the presence of sodium fluoride 1% w/v.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In vitro formation of ethanol in autopsy samples containing fluoride ions

et al. 2007

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We present a case of a death of a diabetic man where the concentration of ethanol in post-mortem blood rose from 0.4 g/l 2 days after autopsy to 3.5 g/l 10 days after autopsy. The presence of fluoride ions in this blood sample was determined with ion chromatography and verified that fluoride ions were added to the vials. The concentrations of free fluoride, corresponding to 0.21 and 0.25% w/v potassium fluoride in blood and urine, respectively, were somewhat lower than the recommended 1% w/v. However, the amount of fluoride ions bound to calcium, proteins and other compounds in the samples is unknown. The blood sample was also subject to microbiological examination, which revealed growth of bacteria. In addition, a very high concentration of glucose was found in vitreous humour from the deceased. To determine whether the ethanol detected at the first analysis was of ante-mortem origin, ethyl glucuronide was analysed. Its absence, in the blood as well as the urine sample, strongly supported the theory that, in this case, all the ethanol detected was formed post-mortem. This case showed that ethanol may be formed in vitro at a very high concentration, despite the verified presence of fluoride ions. Possible reasons for this unusual formation of ethanol were the abundant presence of bacteria, a high level of glucose and, possibly, an insufficient amount of fluoride added to the vials.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In vitro formation of ethanol in autopsy samples containing fluoride ions

et al. 2007

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“…It has been suggested that approximately 50% of the cases with ethanol at a level of 0.1 g/L could be explained by endogenous formation, with lower frequencies at higher BACs (98). The substrate used for post mortem ethanol synthesis is most often glucose (99), and bacteria are responsible for the formation (97,100). For this reason, more severe formation would be expected after trauma, especially abdominal (83,101).…”

Section: Determination Of Post Mortem Ethanol Originmentioning

confidence: 99%

A study of ethyl glucuronide in post-mortem blood as a marker of ante-mortem ingestion of alcohol

Høiseth¹,

Karinen²,

Christophersen³

et al. 2007

Forensic Science International

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“…These phase II metabolites are relevant as alcohol and opiate consumption markers and their metabolic degradation may therefore cause false-negative analytical findings or lead to misinterpretation. Likewise, Yajima [11] showed that some species of bacteria and yeast, including Candida albicans isolated from antemortem blood diluted by intravenous infusions of persons involved in traffic accidents, increased the postmortem alcohol concentration. Another example for microbial postmortem degradation is the decrease of the concentrations of the nitrobenzodiazepines flunitrazepam, clonazepam, and nitrazepam in postmortem blood due to their reduction to the respective 7-amino metabolites by gut bacteria such as Streptococcus faecalis and Clostridium perfringens [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Studies on the metabolism of five model drugs by fungi colonizing cadavers using LC-ESI-MS/MS and GC-MS analysis

2012

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It is well-known that cadavers may be colonized by microorganisms, but there is limited information if or to what extent these microbes are capable of metabolizing drugs or poisons, changing the concentrations and metabolic pattern of such compounds in postmortem samples. The aim of the present study was to develop a fungal biotransformation system as an in vitro model to investigate potential postmortem metabolism by fungi. Five model drugs (amitriptyline, metoprolol, mirtazapine, promethazine, and zolpidem) were each incubated with five model fungi known to colonize cadavers (Absidia repens, Aspergillus repens, Aspergillus terreus, Gliocladium viride, and Mortierella polycephala) and with Cunninghamella elegans (positive control). Incubations were performed in Sabouraud medium at 25 °C for 5 days. After centrifugation, a part of the supernatants was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with product ion scanning. Another part was analyzed by full scan gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after extraction and derivatization. All model drugs were metabolized by the control fungus resulting in two (metoprolol) to ten (amitriptyline) metabolites. Of the model fungi, only Abs. repens and M. polycephala metabolized the model drugs: amitriptyline was metabolized to six and five, metoprolol to two and two, mirtazapine to five and three, promethazine to six and nine, and zolpidem to three and four metabolites, respectively. The main metabolic reactions were demethylation, oxidation, and hydroxylation. The presented in vitro model is applicable to studying drug metabolism by fungi colonizing cadavers.

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Ethanol production by Candida albicans in postmortem human blood samples: Effects of blood glucose level and dilution

Cited by 50 publications

References 10 publications

In vitro formation of ethanol in autopsy samples containing fluoride ions

In vitro formation of ethanol in autopsy samples containing fluoride ions

A study of ethyl glucuronide in post-mortem blood as a marker of ante-mortem ingestion of alcohol

Studies on the metabolism of five model drugs by fungi colonizing cadavers using LC-ESI-MS/MS and GC-MS analysis

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