Pathological findings in 2 cases of fatal 25I-NBOMe toxicity.
Jeffrey P Walterscheid, Garrett T Phillips, Ana E Lopez, Morna L Gonsoulin, Hsin-Hung Chen, Luis A Sanchez
The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology March 1, 2014 DOI: 10.1097/paf.0000000000000082 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractTwo deaths following ingestion of the potent hallucinogen 25I-NBOMe (a serotonin 2A receptor agonist used as an alternative to LSD) are reported. A 21-year-old male who told a friend he had taken "acid" suddenly became violently agitated, flailed, and became unresponsive; autopsy showed multiple external injuries consistent with physical aggression. A 15-year-old female became ill outside a rave, rapidly deteriorated, and died; her autopsy also revealed prominent contusions. Standard toxicology screens detected only marijuana, but time-of-flight mass spectrometry confirmed 25I-NBOMe in both cases. The pattern of behavior and injuries suggests a consistent syndrome preceding fatal toxicity.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2 |
| Population | Two decedents who attended rave parties and ingested 25I-NBOMe |
| Key finding | Two deaths after 25I-NBOMe ingestion showed a consistent pattern of violent agitation, external injuries, and rapid deterioration. |
Abstract
The research compound 25I-NBOMe, also known as CIMBI-5 or INBMeO, was created in academic laboratories as a potent serotonin 2A receptor agonist. Because of its high affinity and ambiguous legal status, recreational drug enthusiasts have used this compound as a powerful alternative to other hallucinogenic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide. We report 2 deaths after 25I-NBOMe ingestion by decedents who attended separate "rave" parties. The first case involved a 21-year-old male who admitted taking "acid" to his friend. A sudden violent rage caused him to flail about, and he subsequently became unresponsive. The postmortem examination revealed numerous external injuries that were consistent with physical aggression. The second case involved a 15-year-old female who was socializing outside a rave party, became ill, and rapidly deteriorated as her friend transported her to the hospital. The postmortem assessment was similar to the first case in that external contusions featured prominently. Comprehensive toxicology screens in both cases revealed only evidence of marijuana use. A deeper analysis using time-of-flight mass spectrometry revealed the presence of 25I-NBOMe, which was further confirmed by tandem-mass spectrometry. The behavior and injuries in these cases reveal a consistent pattern preceding fatal 25I-NBOMe toxicity.