Universität zu Köln

Gaunitz, Franziska, Schuerenkamp, Jennifer, Rostamzadeh, Ayda, Konkol, Christian, Thevis, Mario, Rothschild, Markus A. and Mercer-Chalmers-Bender, Katja ORCID: 0000-0002-3843-9065 (2017). Analysis of taxine B/isotaxine B in a plasma specimen by LC-MS/MS in a case of fatal poisoning: concealed suicide by ingestion of yew (Taxus L.) leaves of a patient with a long-term history of borderline personality disorder. Forensic Toxicol., 35 (2). S. 421 - 428. NEW YORK: SPRINGER. ISSN 1860-8973

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Abstract

This case report deals with a 25-year-old woman who suffered from a long-term borderline personality disorder and from acute suicidal tendencies, including the intentional consumption of poisonous plants. When questioned during her self-referral to the psychiatric emergency department, she denied any suicide attempt or consumption of poisonous agents. Due to her medical history, her admission was followed by an intensive medical observation. During this observation period, the patient suffered an episode of acute respiratory insufficiency, which was followed by cardiac arrest. All resuscitation attempts were futile. Due to the unexplained nature of her death, the case was referred to the criminal investigation department. All findings of the routine systematic toxicological analysis of the patient's blood sample, including immunochemical examinations and a high-performance liquid chromatography general unknown screening for drugs, were in accordance with the patient's medication regimen and did not indicate a lethal overdose of any drug. During the analytical examinations, the deceased's mother informed the psychiatric outpatient service of having found yew leaves in her daughter's clothes and at her flat. The liquid chromatography--tandem mass spectrometry target analysis for yew pseudo-alkaloids (taxine B/isotaxine B) yielded a combined concentration of 110 A mu g/L. No autopsy was performed, because no criminality was suspected. In conclusion, it seems most plausible to conclude that the patient died of yew intoxication.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Gaunitz, Franziska UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Schuerenkamp, Jennifer UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Rostamzadeh, Ayda UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Konkol, Christian UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Thevis, Mario UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Rothschild, Markus A. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Mercer-Chalmers-Bender, Katja UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-3843-9065 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-226378
DOI:	10.1007/s11419-017-0355-z
Journal or Publication Title:	Forensic Toxicol.
Volume:	35
Number:	2
Page Range:	S. 421 - 428
Date:	2017
Publisher:	SPRINGER
Place of Publication:	NEW YORK
ISSN:	1860-8973
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language TANDEM MASS-SPECTROMETRY; LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY; BACCATA LEAVES; BODY-FLUIDS; 3,5-DIMETHOXYPHENOL; INTOXICATION; ALKALOIDS; MS Multiple languages Toxicology Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/22637