Nutmeg (myristicin) poisoning--report on a fatal case and a series of cases recorded by a poison information centre.
In literature, cases of nutmeg abuse have been described repeatedly, but only one fatal case of poisoning was reported [1]. In the present case, myristicin (4 microg/ml) was detected for the first time in the postmortal serum of a 55-year-old woman. Identification was achieved with the aid of UV-VIS spectroscopy and TLC; for quantification, HPLC was used. Because also flunitrazepam (0.072 microg/ml) was found, death had probably been due to the combined toxic effect of both substances. From 1996 to 1998, in a series of cases, seven poisonings with nutmeg were recorded by the Erfurt Poison Information Centre. Even where higher doses (20-80 g of powder) had been ingested, a life-threatening situation was never observed. In one of these cases, a myristicin blood level of 2 microg/ml was measured 8h after ingestion of two to three tablespoonful of nutmeg powder (approx. 14-21 g, or 280-420 mg/kg).
Stein
U
U
Department of Legal Medicine Erfurt, Institute of Legal Medicine, Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Germany.
Greyer
H
H
Hentschel
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning; D001593:Benzyl Compounds; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004148:Dioxolanes / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005445:Flunitrazepam / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011039:Poison Control Centers; D011748:Pyrogallol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D017365:Spices / Q000506:poisoning*; D013270:Stomach / Q000737:chemistry
D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001593:Benzyl Compounds; D004148:Dioxolanes; D011748:Pyrogallol; C005246:myristicin; D005445:Flunitrazepam