Analysis of toxic alkaloids in body samples.
Forensic science international March 10, 2009 Jochen Beyer, Olaf H Drummer, Hans H Maurer 118 citations
Fatal plant poisonings are rare, though many plants contain dangerous alkaloids. Poisonings fall into three categories: accidental ingestions (often in children or from plant-mushroom mix-ups in adults), intentional ingestions (homicides and suicides), and abuse of plants for hallucinogenic effects. This review describes toxic alkaloids such as aconitine, atropine, coniine, colchicine, cytisine, dimethyltryptamine, harmine, harmaline, ibogaine, kawain, mescaline, scopolamine, and taxine, which are involved in fatal and non-fatal poisonings. It summarizes intoxication symptoms and reviews methods for detecting these substances in biological fluids.