Problems of Forensic Sciences 2010 Vol. 82 (LXXXII) 184-190
SUICIDAL BRUCINE INTOXICATION – A CASE REPORT
Roman STANASZEK, Wojciech LECHOWICZ
Department of Toxicology, Institute of Forensic Research, Kraków, Poland
Streszczenie
The aim of this work was to identify an unknown white substance found by the body of a dead male who had committed suicide, and to detect this compound in post-mortem blood, which had been submitted for analysis. The white substance was analysed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Determination of brucine – the compound which was detected in the powder – was performed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). In order to determine brucine in blood, the specimen was extracted with ethyl acetate (pH 9). The extracts were analysed by means of liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS). Brucine was detected in the white powder which was found (in a glass) by the corpse. The concentration of brucine in the powder was 97.7%. Brucine was found in the post-mortem blood of the deceased at a concentration of 5.0 μg/ml. Brucine is a bitter alkaloid closely related to strychnine. Both compounds are found in Strychnos nux vomica L. (vomic nut). Brucine is an alkaloid resembling strychnine, but it is much less potent than strychnine. This poison causes paralysis of the peripheral nerve endings and violent convulsions.
Słowa kluczowe
Brucine; Strychnine; Toxins.