Fatal cytisine intoxication and analysis of biological samples with LC-MS/MS.
We report about a fatal cytisine intoxication in a 20-year-old man who, according to his mother, had drunken tea prepared from plant material of Laburnum anagyroides with the toxic pyridine-like alkaloid as ingredient, which exhibits pharmacological effects similar to nicotine. Using a liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric (LC-MS) procedure cytisine was quantified in post-mortem specimens. By exclusion of other causes of death an intoxication was determined as the cause of death with respiratory failure as the pathophysiological mechanism.
Musshoff
F
F
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Stiftsplatz 12, 53111 Bonn, Germany. f.musshoff@uni-bonn.de
Madea
B
B
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning*; D001392:Azocines / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D001628:Beverages; D001646:Bile / Q000737:chemistry; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D031296:Laburnum / Q000009:adverse effects; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D011807:Quinolizines / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced; D055815:Young Adult; D000093843:Quinolizidine Alkaloids
D000470:Alkaloids; D001392:Azocines; D011807:Quinolizines; C004712:cytisine; D000093843:Quinolizidine Alkaloids