@entity7353 are widely used as sedatives, hypnotics, and antiepileptics, and, when coupled with their narrow therapeutic index, the probability that their use will result in accidental or intentional @entity204 is significant. When barbiturates are implicated in a murder or suicide, analysis for their presence is often required. Under certain conditions, barbiturates are quite stable, but conditions found in vivo immediately after @entity204 or after embalming may promote barbiturate decomposition. If extensive decomposition occurs, analysis for them may be difficult or impossible. Here, the stability of three representative barbiturates, under conditions that model those likely to prevail in vivo shortly after @entity204 and after embalming, have been studied. Solutions of @entity109 were found to slowly decompose in water over the pH range of approximately 3.5 to 9.5. More rapid decomposition occurred at higher pH, and @entity12324 was the main decomposition product. @entity406 (5-20%) accelerated the decomposition rate 3-10-fold such that @entity109 decomposition could be complete after 30 days. In contrast, pentobarbital decomposed roughly 10 times more slowly and secobarbital did not detectably decompose under any of the conditions studied. Thus, certain barbiturates may partially or completely decompose in vivo after @entity204 , especially after embalming, and thus analysis for them may lead to false negatives. However, this work shows that analysis for the parent @entity17166 or its predicted decomposition product may provide data that will reduce the likelihood of false negatives.

In vitro reaction of @entity7353 with XXXX .

@entity7353 :: ('MESH:D001463', 'Chemical') :: ['Barbiturates'] @entity406 :: ('MESH:D005557', 'Chemical') :: ['Formaldehyde'] @entity12324 :: ('MESH:C039714', 'Chemical') :: ['2-phenylbutyric acid'] @entity17166 :: ('MESH:C032232', 'Chemical') :: ['barbiturate'] @entity109 :: ('MESH:D010634', 'Chemical') :: ['phenobarbital'] @entity204 :: ('MESH:D003643', 'Disease') :: ['death']
@entity406 :: (MESH:D005557,Chemical) :: ['formaldehyde']
