The poison of the Colorado River toad (Incilius alvarius) contains a variety of psychoactive tryptamines, with 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) as the main component at an average concentration of 410,000 μg per gram of poison. Using multiple analytical methods, researchers identified nine tryptamine compounds, including 5-MeO-tryptamine and two positional isomers of hydroxylated MeO-DMT detected for the first time in this species. Concentrations of other tryptamines such as bufotenin (2,800 μg/g), 5-MeO-tryptamine (490 μg/g), 5-HO-N-methyltryptamine (270 μg/g), and DMT (250 μg/g) varied considerably between individual toad samples. These comprehensive reference data may assist forensic chemists in analyzing toad venom samples.
A 20-year-old man with prior hallucinogen experience died after sniffing an unknown amount of dipropyltryptamine, a hallucinogenic tryptamine similar to DMT but with longer duration. Within minutes he had visual hallucinations and apathy; two hours later he developed abdominal pain, collapsed, seized, and vomited. Despite resuscitation and hospital transport, he died 21 hours after consumption. Autopsy showed aspiration of gastric contents and brain edema from oxygen deprivation. Dipropyltryptamine concentrations were 210 ng/ml in antemortem serum, 110 ng/ml in postmortem cardiac blood, and 180 ng/ml in urine. Unlike typical tryptamine overdoses, there was no agitation, hyperthermia, or tachycardia. Death resulted indirectly from a high nasal dose.