A fatal poisoning involving Bromo-Dragonfly

Forensic Sci Int. 2009 Jan 10;183(1-3):91-6. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.11.001. Epub 2008 Dec 17.

Abstract

This paper reports a fatal overdose case involving the potent hallucinogenic drug Bromo-Dragonfly (1-(8-bromobenzo[1,2-b; 4,5-b']difuran-4-yl)-2-aminopropane). In the present case, an 18-year-old woman was found dead after ingestion of a hallucinogenic liquid. A medico-legal autopsy was performed on the deceased, during which liver, blood, urine and vitreous humour were submitted for toxicological examination. Bromo-Dragonfly was identified in the liver blood using UPLC-TOFMS, and was subsequently quantified in femoral blood (0.0047 mg/kg), urine (0.033 mg/kg) and vitreous humour (0.0005 mg/kg) using LC-MS/MS. Calibration standards were prepared from Bromo-Dragonfly isolated from a bottle found next to the deceased. The structure and purity of the isolated compound were unambiguously determined from analysis of UPLC-TOFMS, GC-MS, HPLC-DAD, (1)H and (13)C NMR data and by comparison to literature data. The autopsy findings were non-specific for acute poisoning. However, based on the toxicological findings, the cause of death was determined to be a fatal overdose of Bromo-Dragonfly, as no ethanol and no therapeutics or other drugs of abuse besides Bromo-Dragonfly were detected in the liver, blood or urine samples from the deceased. To our knowledge, this is the first report of quantification of Bromo-Dragonfly in a biological specimen from a deceased person. This case caused the drug to be classified as an illegal drug in Denmark on 5th December 2007.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Bromobenzoates / analysis
  • Bromobenzoates / chemistry
  • Bromobenzoates / poisoning*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Female
  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Hallucinogens / analysis
  • Hallucinogens / chemistry
  • Hallucinogens / poisoning*
  • Humans
  • Illicit Drugs / analysis
  • Illicit Drugs / chemistry
  • Illicit Drugs / poisoning*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Propylamines / analysis
  • Propylamines / chemistry
  • Propylamines / poisoning*
  • Vitreous Body / chemistry

Substances

  • 1-(8-bromobenzo(1,2-b;4,5-b')difuran-4-yl)-2-aminopropane
  • Bromobenzoates
  • Hallucinogens
  • Illicit Drugs
  • Propylamines