Donata Favretto

2 papers in the library · 2 citations · publishing 2008-2025

Papers

Infant Death due to Cannabis Ingestion.

Drug testing and analysis May 21, 2025 Donata Favretto, Antonello Cirnelli, Roberto Pertile et al. 2 citations

A child died hours after ingesting a cork-colored, earth-like substance. At the hospital, the child had trouble walking, balancing, and staying conscious, and needed intubation for breathing difficulty, receiving fentanyl and ketamine. Autopsy showed congestion in multiple organs. Toxicological tests on blood, urine, bile, organs, stomach contents, and hair detected cannabinoids, ketamine, norketamine, and fentanyl in emergency room blood; postmortem samples also contained cannabinoids. Hair analysis revealed THC, CBD, CBN, methadone, cocaine, morphine, and other drugs. Stomach contents had traces of cannabis. Acute cannabis intoxication amid chronic exposure to multiple drugs was deemed responsible for the death. Cases of intoxication are increasing with cannabis legalization, but data on young children remain scarce.

DOI: 10.1002/dta.3904 Full text Tetrahydrocannabinol Infant death THC Exposure Cannabis safety +3

A case of beta-carboline alkaloid intoxication following ingestion of Peganum harmala seed extract.

Forensic science international August 6, 2008 Giampietro Frison, Donata Favretto, Flavio Zancanaro et al.

Beta-carboline alkaloids such as harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine, found in plants like Peganum harmala, Passiflora incarnata, and Banisteriopsis caapi, can stimulate the central nervous system by inhibiting amine neurotransmitter metabolism or directly interacting with receptors. Ingestion of preparations containing these alkaloids can cause toxic effects including hallucinations, ataxia, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and agitation. This report describes a case of intoxication after intentionally drinking an infusion of P. harmala seeds purchased online. The alkaloids were identified in the seed extract and the patient's urine via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, marking the first confirmed case of P. harmala intoxication with toxicological evidence.

DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.05.003 Full text