Course Name: Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology

Code (Credit) : CUTM 2517 / FSMS-S2-P4

                              (4-2-0)

Course Objectives: 

• To educate students about basic concepts of toxicology
• Theoretical and practical aspects of poison, theirs types and the analysis (identification, extraction and detection) in different matrices.

Course Outcomes: 

• Impart the knowledge of poison and their analysis.
• Detection of poison in the body or body fluids.
• Skill to analyse the type of poison and detection of different type of poison in body.
• Understanding of drug interaction with body and drug toxicity.
• Analyse the drug interaction and bio-availability of the drug in the body and their metabolites.

Course Syllabus

Unit I: 

• Introduction and concepts of forensic toxicological examination and its significance.
• Law relating to poisons.
• Introduction to Poisons, form of poisons, classification and methods of administration of poison
• Mode of action of poison, Diagnosis and management of poisoning cases.
• Factors affecting the effect of poison and medico-legal aspects in poisoning cases

Unit II: 

• Collection and preservation of biological evidences (viscera and /or body fluids) and circumstantial evidences in fatal and survival cases. Submission of samples to the laboratory, postmortem examination, specific analysis plan / approach to toxicological examinations of poisoning samples. Classification of matrices.
• Isolation and Extraction of poison/ drug by various classical and modern methods using instrumental techniques.

Unit III: 

• Method of analysis of Inorganic poisons (metallic, non metallic and anions).
• Method of analysis of Neutral poison.
• Method of analysis of Basic drugs / poisons.
• Method of analysis of Acidic drugs / poisons.
• Method of analysis of volatile poisons.

Unit IV: 

• Insects and animal poisons and their examination.
• Plant poisons: Classification and analysis by chemical and instrumental techniques.
• Mechanical poisons and their examination.
• Analytical aspect of toxicological evidence.
• Toxicological analysis of decomposed materials.
• Interpretation of toxicological findings and preparation of reports.

Unit V: Forensic pharmacology

• Forensic pharmacological studies, absorption, distribution, pharmacokinetics and metabolism, pathways of drug metabolism, drug toxicity, excretion of drugs and poisons.
• Detection of poison on the basis of their metabolic studies.

Practicals:

1. Systematic extraction and detection of poisons and drugs from visceral samples by various suitable chemical and instrumental techniques.
2. Detection of metallic poisons from viscera samples and food samples.
3. Identification of vegetable poisons of Forensic interest.

Reference Books:

1. Modi JS: Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology
2. Taylor: Medical Jurisprudence
3. Parikh CK: Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology
4. Keith Simpsen & Bernard Knight: Forensic Medicine
5. Poison, CJ, DJ Gee, B. Knight: Forensic Medicine
6. Reddy: Forensic Medicine
7. Laboratory Procedure Manual- Forensic Toxicology, DFS, MHA, New Delhi
8. Pharmacology and Therapeutics-Bhandarkar & Satoskar
9. Medical Pharmacology- Tripathy
10. Essentials of Toxicology- Ellenhorn

Session Plan-Theory

Session I: Introduction and concepts of forensic toxicological examination and its significance.

1. def

Session II: Law relating to poisons.

Law relating to poison

Session III: Introduction to Poisons, form of poisons

3. Poison classification

Session IV: Methods of administration of poison.

Session V: Mode of action of poison

4. Action of poison

Session VI: Diagnosis of poisoning cases

Diagnosis of Poisoning

Session VII: Management of poisoning cases

management of posioning

Session VIII: Factors affecting the effect of poison

Factors affecting poison

Session IX: Medico-legal aspects in poisoning cases

Session X: Collection and preservation of biological evidences (viscera and /or body fluids) 

Session XI: Circumstantial evidences in fatal and survival cases.

Session XII: Submission of samples to the laboratory

Session XIII: Postmortem examination

Session XIV: Specific analysis plan / approach to toxicological examinations of poisoning samples

Session XV: Classification of matrices

Session XVI: Isolation and Extraction of poison/ drug by various classical and modern methods using instrumental techniques.

Session XVII: Method of analysis of Inorganic poisons (metallic, non metallic and anions)

Session XVIII: Method of analysis of Neutral poison.

Session XIX: Method of analysis of Basic drugs / poisons.

Session XX: Method of analysis of Acidic drugs / poisons.

Session XXI: Method of analysis of volatile poisons

Session XXII: Insects and animal poisons and their examination.

Session XXIII: Plant poisons: Classification and analysis by chemical and instrumental techniques

Session XXIV: Mechanical poisons and their examination

Session XXV: Analytical aspect of toxicological evidence

Session XXVII: Interpretation of toxicological findings and preparation of reports.

Session XXVI: Toxicological analysis of decomposed materials

Session XXVIII: Forensic pharmacological studies, absorption, distribution

Session XXIX: Pharmacokinetics and metabolism, pathways of drug metabolism, drug toxicity

Session XXX: Excretion of drugs and poisons.

Session XXXI: Detection of poison on the basis of their metabolic studies.

Session Plan-Theory

Practical Session I: Systematic extraction and detection of Acidic poisons/ drugs from visceral samples by various suitable chemical and instrumental techniques

Acidic Poison.docx

Practical Session II: Systematic extraction and detection of Basic poisons/ drugs from visceral samples by various suitable chemical and instrumental techniques

Basic Poison

Practical Session III: Systematic extraction and detection of Neutral poisons from visceral samples by various suitable chemical and instrumental techniques

Neutral Poison

Practical Session IV: Systematic extraction and detection of Volatile poisons from visceral samples by various suitable chemical and instrumental techniques

Volatile Poison.docx

Practical Session V: Systematic extraction and detection of Non-volatile Inorganic poisons (Anions) from visceral samples by various suitable chemical and instrumental techniques

Non-Metallic Poison.docx

Practical Session VI: Detection of metallic poisons from viscera samples and food samples.

Metallic Poison

Practical Session VII: Identification of vegetable poisons of Forensic interest

Plant Poison.docx