• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.341-347
• /
• 2010

The majority of forensic autopsies in Korea are performed by the National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NISI), and the NISI has carried out about 4,000 cases annually. Total 4,578 autopsies were performed by NISI in 2009, among them 2,918 cases (64%) were carried out at main office of NISI in Seoul, which is in charge of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi province. In this study we investigated pattern of drugs & poisons in autopsy cases for recent three years in Korea. Postmortem specimens (bloods, gastric contents, etc) from autopsy cases by main office of NISI during 2007~2009 were screened for drugs & poisons. Using laboratory information management system of NISI (iLIMS), the kinds of drugs & poisons and the frequency were investigated. As the results, 1,705 cases were negative to drugs & poisons, it occupied 58% of total 2,918 autopsy cases in 2009. During three years (2007~2009), the kinds of drugs & poisons detected in specimens were 206, 185 and 203, respectively, and top three drugs were atropine (anticholinergic), chlorpheniramine (antihistamine) and lidocaine (local anaesthetic/anti-arrythmic). These drugs were supposed to be used not so much for suicidal or homicidal purpose as for therapeutic purpose in hospital. Meanwhile cyanide showed the highest frequency of poisons during 2007~2009, and the frequency was 32 cases in 2009. In case of pesticides, poisoning by paraquat (herbicide, 17 cases) showed the highest frequency, and methomyl (insecticide, 9 cases) and glyphosate (herbicide, 7 cases) were followed. Finally we selected 62 drugs as target drugs for systematic toxicological analysis (STA) for Korea. Poisons such as pesticides, natural toxins, volatile compounds should be included for STA in further study.