Abstract: An experimental study was performed on antemortem and postmortem skin electricmarks by means of histochemical demonstration of nonspecific esterase (NSE ). The results reveales that NSE activity on the collagen fibers differed significantly (P＜0. 05)between antemorttem and postmortem skinelectric marks. Under the same experimentalconditions, the enzyme activity increaseswith the antemortem duration of the electricinjury. The study indicates that NSE activityis very useful in distinguishing antemortemand postmortem skin electric marks.

Key words: nonspecific esterasse, antemortem and postmortem electric marks.