A two fatal cases of poisoning involving new cathinone derivative PV8

Ewelina Pieprzyca; Rafał Skowronek; Małgorzata Korczyńska; Joanna Kulikowska; Małgorzata Chowaniec

doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2018.05.002

A two fatal cases of poisoning involving new cathinone derivative PV8

Leg Med (Tokyo). 2018 May 14:33:42-47. doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2018.05.002. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Ewelina Pieprzyca¹, Rafał Skowronek², Małgorzata Korczyńska¹, Joanna Kulikowska¹, Małgorzata Chowaniec³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
² Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: rafal-skowronek@wp.pl.
³ Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.

PMID: 29778973
DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2018.05.002

Abstract

α-Pyrrolidinoheptiophenone (PV8) is a representative of α-pyrrolidinophenone derivatives, a new group of synthetic cathinones. PV8 was first detected in illegal products in Japan in 2013. It is closely related to α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (α-PVP), which was one of the most popular novel psychoactive substance (NPS) in Poland in years 2013-2015. The article presents two cases of fatal poisonings of 36-year-old man and 37-year-old woman, where a new cathinone derivative - PV8 was detected in biological material collected during medicolegal autopsies. The concentration of PV8, measured with LC-MS method, was in the first case - 0.26 µg/mL in blood and 0.11 µg/mL in urine and in the second - 0.07 µg/mL and 0.13 µg/mL, respectively. In both cases medicolegal experts finally have determined that the cause of death was fatal intoxication with the main role of PV8. This substance is another synthetic cathinone which is dangerous for live of the users and requires constant monitoring and further research.

Keywords: New psychoactive substances (NPS); PV8; Synthetic cannabinoids.