The analysis and distribution of mescaline in postmortem tissues.
Mescaline (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine) is a hallucinogenic alkaloid found in the peyote cactus. This report documents mescaline distribution in a death caused by multiple gunshot wounds. Mescaline was extracted with a butyl chloride liquid-liquid method and identified by mass spectrometry. Quantitative analysis was performed by gas chromatography using a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. Concentrations of the drug were 2.95 mg/L, 2.36 mg/L, 8.2 mg/kg, and 2.2 mg/kg in blood, vitreous, liver, and brain, respectively.
D005554:Forensic Medicine; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008635:Mescaline / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot
D006213:Hallucinogens; D008635:Mescaline