title: Another death due to ingestion of Nicotiana glauca.
abstract: Deaths attributed to ingestion of Nicotiana glauca are extremely rare. We report here a case where a 43-year-old man was found dead after apparently drinking a water extract of Nicotiana glauca. The primary alkaloid in the plant is anabasine. Toxicological analysis by capillary gas chromatography showed the deceased had a blood anabasine concentration of 2.2 mg/L. Clinically, the features of poisoning are nicotine-like and if death occurs it results from respiratory paralysis. The case further supports the view that, in the human, anabasine is considerably more toxic than nicotine.
authors: Forensic Science Centre, Adelaide, Australia.
authors: D N
authors: DN
authors: Sims
authors: R
authors: R
authors: James
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000691:Anabasine / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000506:poisoning; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000506:poisoning*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014867:Water; D009538:Nicotine; D000691:Anabasine