2010 issue 1

Phenothiazine-derivatives (PHD) are the oldest and numerous group of neuroleptics with a potent antipsychotic effect. It's in common use, mainly in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to analyze fatal simple poisonings with PHD in the practice of the Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice in the years 1999-2008. The results of chemico-toxicological investigations of biological material, collected during autopsies were analyzed, including sex of casualties, poisoning's circumstances (accident or suicide), the presence of medical indications for a drug intake, kind of it and its presence and concentration in examined material. PHD' identification doesn't produce any analytical problems. Poisonings with this group of neuroleptics consist still an essential toxicological problem, so patients should be under strict medical control during therapy. Fatal cases may constitute interpretative and opinion giving problems.