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Estimation of time of death by quantification of melatonin in corpses

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Abstract

A method for the estimation of time of death (TOD), was evaluated by measuring the melatonin (MT) content of pineal bodies (PBs), sera and urine samples from 85 cadavers. A total of 44 cadavers were investigated in Sapporo (geographical coordinates N 43° 4′, E 141° 21′) and 41 in Tokyo (N 35° 39′, E 139° 44′). MT contents were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in 75 PBs, 27 sera and 14 urine samples. Exponential differences of pineal MT content were recognized between peaks in nighttime and nadirs in daytime, ranging from 0.099 to 63.2 ng/PB. Circadian rhythms were also observed for the concentrations of MT in serum (11–205 pg/ml), and in urine (7.5–137.5 pg/ml). Consequently, criteria for the TOD estimation are proposed as follows. 1) Pineal MT contents — (1) 0–0.2 ng/PB: TOD 1100–1700 hours, (2) 0.2–0.3 ng/PB: TOD 0700–2000 hours, (3) 0.3–1 ng/PB: inconclusive, (4) 1–4 ng/PB: TOD 1600–1000 hours, (5) 4–8 ng/PB: TOD 2000–0800 hours, (6) over 8 ng/PB: TOD 2000–0500 hours, 2) Serum MT concentration — (1) 0–100 pg/ml: inconclusive, (2) over 100 pg/ml: TOD 2200–0100 hours, and 3) Urinary MT concentration — (1) 0–35 pg/ml: inconclusive, (2) over 35 pg/ml: TOD 1800–0600 hours. The range of the estimation can be limited by a combination of these 3 criteria. The present method can be combined with other methods for estimating the TOD to decrease the range.

Zusammenfassung

Eine Methode zur Bestimmung der Todeszeit (TZ) wurde evaluiert, indem der Melatonin-Gehalt der Epiphysen, Serum und Urin-Proben von 85 Leichen gemessen wurde. Insgesamt wurden 44 Leichen in Sapporo (geographische Koordinaten N 43°, 4′, E 141° 21′) und 41 Leichen in Tokio (N 35° 39′, E 139° 44′) untersucht. Die Melatonin-Gehalte wurden mit Hilfe des Radioimmunoassays (RIA) in 85 Epiphysen, 27 Seren und 14 Urinproben untersucht. Exponentielle Differenzen des epiphysären Melatonin-Gehalts wurden zwischen den nächtlichen Spitzenwerten und den „Nadirs” während der Tageszeit beobachtet. Diese variierten zwischen 0,099 und 63,2 ng/Epiphyse. Zirkadian-Rhythmen wurden ebenfalls beobachtet für die Konzentrationen von Melatonin im Serum (11–205 pg/ml) und in Urin (7,5–137,5 pg/ml). Folglich werden die Kriterien für die Bestimmung der TZ wie folgt vorgeschlagen: 1) Epiphysäre Melatonin-Gehalte —(1) 0–0,2 ng/Epiphyse: TZ 1100–1700 Uhr, (2) 0,2–0,3 ng/Epiphyse: TZ 0700–2000 Uhr, (3) 0.3–1 ng/Epiphyse: unentschieden, (4) 1–4 ng/Epiphyse: TZ 1600–1000 Uhr, (5) 4–8 ng/Epiphyse: TZ 2000–0800 Uhr, (6) über 8 ng/Epiphyse: TZ 2000–0500 Uhr; 2) Serum-Melatonin-Gehalte — (1) 0–100 pg/ml: unentschieden, (2) über 100 pg/ml: TZ 2200–0100 Uhr und 3) Urin-Melatonin-Gehalte — (1) 0–35 pg/ml: unentschieden, (2) über 35 pg/ml: TZ 1800–0600 Uhr. Die Streubreite der Bestimmung kann durch eine Kombination dieser 3 Kriterien eingeengt werden. Die vorliegende Methode kann mit anderen Methoden zur Bestimmung der Todeszeit kombiniert werden, um deren Variationsbreite zu verringern.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Legal Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, 060, Sapporo, Japan

    Hachiro Mikami, Koichi Terazawa, Tetsu Tsukamoto & Koji Haga

  2. Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 113, Tokyo, Japan

    Takehiko Takatori

  3. Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office, 113, Tokyo, Japan

    Shogo Tokudome

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  1. Hachiro Mikami
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  2. Koichi Terazawa
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  3. Takehiko Takatori
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  5. Tetsu Tsukamoto
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  6. Koji Haga
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Mikami, H., Terazawa, K., Takatori, T. et al. Estimation of time of death by quantification of melatonin in corpses. Int J Leg Med 107, 42–51 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01247274

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01247274

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