The effect of sulfur-metabolising bacteria on sulfur-containing psychotropic drugs

Eight bacterial species commonly found in postmortem specimens were assesse d for their ability to degrade three sulfur-containing psychotropic drugs ( chlorpromazine, thioridazine and dothiepin). The two species investigated ( Proteus mirabilis and Clostridium perfringens) did not mediate degradation of the drugs when incubated individually over an 8-h period at 37 degrees C in separate blood specimens containing each of the drugs. However, separat e experiments demonstrated that degradation of these drugs did occur in dec omposed blood and liver specimens. Such studies suggest that other bacteria or other factors may be responsible for drug decomposition. (C) 1999 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.