Introduction: Cathinones are currently the second largest and the second most frequently seized group of new psychoactive substances (NPS). One of the most recent synthetic cathinones that has appeared on the ´legal highs´ market is alpha-pyrrolidinoisohexanophenone (alpha-PiHP). Case history: An 18-year-old man was found dead in an apartment. The autopsy materials were collected for toxicological analyses. Methods: The quantitative analyses were carried out by LC-MS/MS. Results: alpha-PiHP was detected and quantified in all post-mortem materials except the hair. The determined concentrations of the compound in the blood, urine and bile were 69 ng/mL, 2072 ng/mL, and 341 ng/mL respectively. The concentrations of a-PiHP in solid tissues were in the range of 7-478 ng/g. 4-Chloromethcathinone (4-CMC), N-ethylhexedrone, benzoylecgonine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) were also detected in some materials. Discussion: No cases presenting concentrations of alpha-PiHP in biological materials have been reported so far. Due to the similarity of structures and the reported dosages, an attempt to compare the concentrations of alpha-PVP and alpha-PHP has been made. In the described case, functional death through intoxication of alpha-PiHP was accepted as the final cause of death. The other detected substances did not contribute to death due to their very likely distant administration. Conclusion: alpha-PiHP is another new synthetic cathinone that is a danger to the life of users. The described fatal intoxication case presents the concentrations of alpha-PiHP in post-mortem materials. This data could be valuable for further interpretation of other results from toxicological analyses in cases where the use of alpha-PiHP is suspected.
Paraules clau:
alpha-PiHP; Alpha-pyrrolidinoisohexanophenone; Cathinone; Intoxication; Biological material; Concentrations