Detection and effect of ephedrine sulphate on the development rate of the forensic blow fly larvae Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae) colonize a dog carcass

Abstract

Necrophagous insects may provide useful information to medico legal about the time, place and cause of death. In addition the y can serve as reliable alternative specimens for toxicological analysis in cases where human tissue and fluids, normally taken during autopsies, are not available, due to decomposition of the carcass. Using gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GCFID), the present study demonstrated the detection of ephedrine from the forensically-important blow fly larvae C. albiceps which the most abundant fly attracted firstly and consume the flesh of carcass as their food substrate. In addition the effect of ephedrine on the development rate of these fly larvae was observed. Ephedrine was detected in the homogenate of C. albiceps larvae that fed on ephedrine sulphate-dead dog carcass at 4.366 min. vs. at 4.339 min. in the standard samples as shown from chromatograms. Ephedrine was found to significantly prolong the pupal and total durations of C. albiceps colonized the treated carcass as compared to control.