Estimation of time since death from cerebrospinal fluid chemistry

In the present study, sodium, potassium, chloride, inorganic phosphorus, lactate, protein and glucose levels were studied in cerebrospinal fluid samples obtained from 100 medicolegal autopsy cases; the samples were drawn at six, twelve and sixteen hours after death, in the Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Nagpur. The levels of potassium, inorganic phosphorus, lactate and protein increases after death whereas sodium, chloride and glucose decrease. The level of potassium and inorganic phosphorus rises, chloride level falls, and the values were linear with time and can be utilized to estimate the time since death.