Analysis of strychnine and brucine in postmortem specimens by RP-HPLC: a case report of fatal intoxication.
A sensitive method for the identification and quantitation of the toxic alkaloids strychnine and brucine from postmortem specimens has been established. After solid-phase extraction using Oasis MCX cartridges the extracts were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. The limit of detection was 0.5 ng/mL blood for strychnine and brucine, and the limit of quantitation was 5 ng/mL blood for strychnine and brucine. The method was applied for the analysis of blood and gastric contents of a 34-year-old female who died after ingestion of a packet of herbal medicine powder containing the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica L. Strychnine and brucine were detected in all the samples. The concentration in our case is consistent with that in previous reports.
Wang
Zhaohong
Z
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
Zhao
Jingzhen
J
Xing
Junbo
J
He
Yi
Y
Guo
Dean
D
D000328:Adult; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011042:Poisons / Q000032:analysis*; D012639:Seeds / Q000506:poisoning*; D013331:Strychnine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis*; D031461:Strychnos nux-vomica / Q000506:poisoning*
D011042:Poisons; C083806:brucine; D013331:Strychnine