Post mortem kinetics of secobarbital.

Post-mortem changes in barbiturate concentrations were evidenced using a rat-secobarbital model. The method used for the extraction and HPLC assay of barbiturates is suitable for all biologic fluids and post-mortem tissues. Kinetic data obtained is of excellent quality. Various modelization constants were defined. This experimental work emphasizes the difficulty of post-mortem toxicology, as concentrations found at the time of autopsy may be different from concentrations at the time of death, in blood as well as in tissues.