Regarding the high potency of synthetic cannabinoids (SC), many intoxications and
fatal cases are reported in literature. Here, we report on a fatality with 5F-MDMBP7AICA contributing to the occurrence of death. A 31-year-old man died 10 h after
he fell from the rooftop of a house. Police investigations revealed that he had consumed a ‘legal high’ herbal blend some hours earlier. An initial toxicological screening
for new psychoactive substances (NPS) was negative. One year after, the analysis of
confiscated drug samples revealed the SC 5F-MDMB-P7AICA being unknown at the
time of the first investigations. Hence, post-mortem specimens were retrospectively
analysed for 5F-MDMB-P7AICA and its dimethylbutanoic acid (DBA) metabolite.
Lung, liver, kidney and bile fluid (BF) of the decedent were analysed following solidphase extraction and standard addition, heart blood (HB) and peripheral blood (PB) by
fully validated liquid–liquid extraction and protein precipitation methods. Additionally,
hair specimens were analysed to examine a possible chronic consumption of the
SC. All specimens were analysed by liquid–chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. 5F-MDMB-P7AICA was detected in HB (0.69 ng/ml), PB (1.2 ng/ml) and hair.
DBA was found in HB (46 ng/ml) and PB (5.7 ng/ml) and could additionally be identified in liver and kidney (approximately 4–5 ng/g), lung (approximately 12 ng/g) and
BF (approximately 60 ng/g). Compared with the parent compound, much higher concentrations of DBA were quantified. This case shows that drugs found at the scene
can provide helpful initial information for further toxicological screenings in biological
samples, especially when there is evidence of NPS consumption
