title: Fatal poisoning with detajmium: identification of detajmium and its metabolites and artifacts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography.
abstract: After ingestion of an unknown dose of detajmium, a 14-year-old female collapsed with asystolia. Resuscitation efforts were not successful. A medicolegal autopsy was carried out, and blood, liver and gastric content were extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). After derivatization with acetic anhydride, detajmium and twelve of its derivatives and metabolites were identified. The main metabolic pathways include hydroxylation and subsequent O-methylation of the indol ring, and oxidation as well as reduction of the C-21 hydroxyl function. Cleavage of the N-alkyl side-chain is a further, possibly non-enzymatic degradation pathway. Artifact formation induced by acetylation included dehydratation of the hydroxyl function of C-21 and the N-alkyl side-chain. The detajmium concentration in blood of the decreased was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection (12 micrograms/ml).
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Landesuntersuchungsinsitut für Lebensmittel, Arzneimittel und Tierseuchen Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tenczer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lappenberg-Pelzer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Demme
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Köppel
mesh_terms: D000089:Acetic Anhydrides / Q000032:analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000404:Ajmaline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D001344:Autopsy; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000089:Acetic Anhydrides; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000404:Ajmaline; C036103:detajmium