GC/MS comparison of the West Indian aphrodisiac "Love Stone" to the Chinese medication "chan su": bufotenine and related bufadienolides.
The death of a 23-year-old man resulting from digoxin-like toxicity and heart failure was attributed to ingestion of a West Indian aphrodisiac known as "Love Stone." GC/MS analyses identified bufotenine, a controlled substance under both US and New York State statutes. In addition, a series of bufadienolides, namely resibufogenin, bufalin, and cinobufagin, were also identified. Bufadienolides, which are derived from toad venom or secretions, are cardiotonic steroids that cause symptoms similar to digoxin. GC/MS analyses of the Chinese medication "Chan Su," a product derived from toads, produced a highly similar elution profile and contained the same compounds as "Love Stone." The data demonstrate that the aphrodisiac was also derived from toads.
Barry
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Mass Spectrometry Service Center, Northeast Regional Laboratory, US Food and Drug Administration, Brooklyn, NY 11232, USA.
Petzinger
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Zito
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D000328:Adult; D001046:Aphrodisiacs / Q000506:poisoning*; D002018:Bufanolides / Q000737:chemistry; D002027:Bufotenin / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000506:poisoning*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000506:poisoning*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000506:poisoning; D008297:Male
D001046:Aphrodisiacs; D002018:Bufanolides; D006213:Hallucinogens; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D002027:Bufotenin