Detection of Ketamine hydrochloride and its effect on the development of immature stages of a forensically important blow fly Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

The present study demonstrated the detection of Ketamine hydrochloride from the immature stages of Chrysomya megacephala (Fab.) and observation of its effect on the development of this fly. Larvae of C. megacephala were reared on rat tissues administered the half lethal, lethal and twice lethal dosages of Ketamine hydrochloride antemortem. Development of immature stages was estimated on the basis of various parameters like weight, length, width, time of adult emergence and survival rate. Results indicate that an estimate of the postmortem interval based on the normal development of C. megacephala could have an error of up to 60-92 hours if based on the age of the larva, and 92-172 hours if based on the age of the pupa sampled from decomposing remains. Larvae of C. megacephala feeding upon control treatment demonstrated higher survival rate, pupariation and eclosion success as compared to larvae exposed to the different dosages of Ketamine hydrochloride. The presence of Ketamine hydrochloride could be detected through Gas Chromatography (GC) in all rat samples and in almost all dipteral samples