Blood concentrations of clobazam and norclobazam in a lethal case involving clobazam, meprobamate and clorazepate.

Phak-Rop Pos Pok, Michel Mauras, Marie-Noëlle De Saint Léger, Erika Kuhlmann, Catherine Charpenel-Durat, Claudie Navarette, Marie-Laure Duval, Pierre De Meo

Index: Leg. Med. (Tokyo.) 12(6) , 300-4, (2010)

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Abstract

Clobazam is a benzodiazepine with anti-anxiety and anticonvulsant properties marketed in several countries. Norclobazam, a metabolite of clobazam, has similar pharmacological activity but weaker sedative and tranquilizing effect. The two drugs were detected by GC-MS and determined by HPLC-DAD in the samples from a postmortem case. The femoral blood concentrations of clobazam and norclobazam were 0.72 and 36 μg/mL, respectively. The concentration of the active norclobazam was very high. The sum of both clobazam and norclobazam blood concentration (36.72 μg/mL) was clearly toxic, but was not necessarily fatal. Other associated drugs concentrations were within their therapeutic ranges. Interactions due to drug association were discussed.Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.