Fatal intoxication with melperone

Melperone is judged to be a safe neuroleptic drug. Until now there has been no report of a melperone fatality, though it has been used in suicide atte mpts. We report on a case of a 36-year-old woman where no cause of death co uld be established at autopsy. Criminological investigation pointed to a ho micide by poisoning but also the possibility of a suicide had to be taken i n account. The toxicological analysis of blood, cerebral spinal fluid and u rine revealed extremely high concentrations of melperone which had never be en reported before. Furthermore, diazepam. nordazepam and carbamazepine wer e detected. To our knowledge, this case is the first melperone fatality. Po ssible interactions with diazepam and carbamazepine are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.