An autopsy case of poisoning by neuropsychopharmaceuticals including zopiclone

We report here a suicide case involving neuropsychopharmaceuticals. The deceased was a 30-year-old housewife, 151 cm in height and 46.0 kg in weight. Macroscopically, slight lung congestion and edema and slight brain edema were noted. The stomach contained approximately 200 ml of a greenish-brown material with many solid granules. Toxicological analysis demonstrated 44.9 micrograms/ml of zopiclone (ZP), 12.8 micrograms/ml of phenobarbital (PB), 10.9 micrograms/ml of chlorpromazine (CPZ), and 4.8 micrograms/ml of promethazine (PM) in the gastric contents; 0.5 microgram/ml of ZP, 8.6 micrograms/ml of PB, 0.2 microgram/ml of CPZ, and 0.3 microgram/ml of PM in the serum; and 43.0 micrograms/ml of ZP, 8.1 micrograms/ml of PB, 1.3 micrograms/ml of CPZ, and 1.3 micrograms/ml of PM in the urine. On the basis of these findings, the cause of death was considered to be neuropsychopharmaceutical poisoning; ZP was most probably responsible for her death. Language: ja