Analytical detection and quantitation of strychnine in chemically fixed organ tissues.
This study reports the results of the detection and quantitation of strychnine in formalin-fixed tissues and in the formalin solutions in which the tissues were fixed. The toxicological analyses were performed on formalin-fixed liver and kidney samples and formalin solutions (10% buffered pH 7) in which the same samples from a case of acute strychnine poisoning were preserved. The analyses carried out at the time of autopsy on body fluid and tissues (bile, 2.40 mg/L; stomach contents, 14.2 mg; liver, 6.68 mg/kg; kidney, 2.68 mg/kg) allowed the identification of this substance as cause of death. The tissue samples were preserved in formalin solutions for 8 weeks. The analyses performed on formalin-fixed tissues (liver and kidney) and on formalin solutions, in which the same tissues were preserved, permitted the detection and quantitation of strychnine (liver, 1.59 mg/kg; formalin from the liver, 1.80 mg/L; kidney, 0.98 mg/kg; formalin from the kidney, 1.11 mg/L). The results indicate that this particular toxic substance also shows good stability in biological specimens subjected to chemical fixation.
Cingolani
M
M
Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Ancona, Ospedale Regionale, Italy. m.cingolani@popcsi.unian.it
Froldi
R
R
Mencarelli
R
R
Rodriguez
D
D
D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003292:Convulsants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000506:poisoning; D005557:Formaldehyde; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013331:Strychnine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000506:poisoning; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods*
D003292:Convulsants; D005557:Formaldehyde; D013331:Strychnine