Forensic Science International
August 6, 2008
Giampietro Frison, Donata Favretto, Flavio Zancanaro et al.
Beta-carboline alkaloids harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine can stimulate the central nervous system by inhibiting the metabolism of amine neurotransmitters, or by direct interaction with specific receptors; they are found in numerous plants, including Peganum harmala, Passiflora incarnata and Banisteriopsis caapi, and in the entheogen preparation Ayahuasca, which is traditionally brewed...
Forensic Science International
July 4, 2008
Simon D. Brandt, Cláudia P.B. Martins, Sally Freeman et al.
10 citations
The psychoactive properties of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) 1a are known to induce altered states of consciousness in humans. This particular attribute attracts great interest from a variety of scientific and also clandestine communities. Our recent research has confirmed that DMT reacts with dichloromethane (DCM), either as a result of work-up or storage to give a quaternary N-chloromethyl...
Forensic Science International
March 21, 2008
Marjorie Chèze, Aurélie Lenoan, Marc Deveaux et al.
28 citations
Tabernanthe iboga belongs to the Apocynaceae family. In this study, we report the case of a 37-year-old black male working as a security agent in Paris and found dead naked on the beach in Gabon after consumption of iboga. Autopsy revealed a drowning fatality and a myocardial abnormality (myocardial bridging). Samples of blood, urine, bile, gastric content, liver, lungs, vitreous, spleen and...
Forensic Science International
July 20, 2007
Wing-Chi Cheng, Kin-Man Ng, Ka-Keung Chan et al.
Although there are many roadside testing devices available for the screening of abused drugs, none of them can be used for the detection of ketamine, a popular abused drug in Hong Kong. In connection to local drug driving legislation, effective roadside detection of ketamine in suspected drug-impaired drivers has to be established. According to the drug evaluation and classification program...
Forensic Science International
December 20, 2006
Kenji Tsujikawa, Hiroyuki Mohri, Kenji Kuwayama et al.
51 citations
The constituents of seven mushrooms sold as Amanita muscaria or Amanita pantherina (five A. muscaria and two A. pantherina) and four "extracts purported to contain A. muscaria" products that are currently circulated in Japan were determined. All mushroom samples were identified as A. muscaria or A. pantherina by macroscopic and microscopic observation. The dissociative constituents, ibotenic...
Forensic Science International
March 10, 2005
Tatsuyuki Kanamori, Kenji Tsujikawa, Y Ohmae et al.
The metabolism of methamphetamine (MA) and 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes was investigated, and compared with in vivo results. A suspended hepatocyte culture, established from male Wistar rats using a collagenase perfusion technique, was incubated in the presence of MA or 2C-B. After enzymatic hydrolysis of the conjugated forms, the metabolites...
Forensic Science International
February 10, 2005
John M Wilson, Frank Mcgeorge, Susan C. Smolinske et al.
119 citations
Foxy is the colloquial name for the hallucinogen 5-ethoxy-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT). A non-fatality involving a 23-year-old Caucasian man who ingested a capsule containing 5-MeO-DIPT is described. He presented to the Emergency Department, not with visual nor auditory hallucinations but with sensory hallucinations, that of formication and paranoia. He was observed and given supportive...
Forensic Science International
December 17, 2003
Kenji Tsujikawa, Tatsuyuki Kanamori, Yuko T Iwata et al.
79 citations
Morphological and toxicological analyses were performed on hallucinogenic mushrooms that are currently circulated in Japan. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) indicated a three-dimensional microstructures in the mushrooms. The complementary use of SEM with an optical microscope was effective for observing characteristic tissues, such as basidiomycetes, spores, cystidia and basidia....
Forensic Science International
December 1, 2001
Karine M. Clauwaert, Jan F. van Bocxlaer, A.p. de Leenheer
69 citations
A controlled study was undertaken to determine the stability of the designer drugs MDA, MDMA and MDEA in pooled serum, whole blood, water and urine samples over a period of 21 weeks. The concentrations of the individual designer drugs in the various matrices were monitored over time, in the dark at various temperatures (-20, 4 or 20 degrees C), for a low (+/- 6 ng/ml for water, serum and whole...
Forensic Science International
September 11, 2000
Frank Mußhoff, Burkhard Madea, J Beike
76 citations
'Magic mushrooms' is the name most commonly given to psychoactive fungi containing the hallucinogenic components psilocybin and psilocin. Material confiscated by local authorities was examined using morphologic, microscopic, microchemical, and toxicological methods. Psilocybe cubensis was the most popular mushroom in the sample collective, followed by Psilocybe semilanceata, Panaeolus...
Forensic Science International
September 1, 2000
G Sticht, H Käferstein
86 citations
Active compounds of some mushrooms e.g. Psilocybe cubensis, Paneolus subalteatus or Stropharia coronilla, the psychotropic agents psilocybin and psilocin, have hallucinogenic effects. In one case of 'magic mushroom' intake, we had to analyse blood and urine. Psilocin was detected in the urine with REMEDi HS. Most of the psilocin was excreted as the glucuronide. Therefore an enzymatic hydrolysis...
Forensic Science International
August 14, 2000
Christian Giroud, F Felber, Marc Augsburger et al.
70 citations
Salvia divinorum Epling & Jativa is an hallucinogenic mint traditionally used for curing and divination by the Mazatec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico. Young people from Mexican cities were reported to smoke dried leaves of S. divinorum as a marijuana substitute. Recently, two S. divinorum specimens were seized in a large-scale illicit in-door and out-door hemp plantation. Salvinorin A also called...
Forensic Science International
1999
Thomas Keller, Andrea Schneider, Priska Regenscheit et al.
50 citations
A new method has been developed for the rapid analysis of psilocybin and/or psilocin in fungus material using ion mobility spectrometry. Quantitative analysis was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after a simple one-step extraction involving homogenization of the dried fruit bodies of fungi in chloroform and derivatization with MSTFA. The proposed methods resulted in rapid...
Forensic Science International
August 1, 1997
Frank Mußhoff, T. Daldrup
29 citations
A sensitive method for the detection and quantification of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in serum samples is described. After liquid-liquid extraction the trimethylsilyl derivative of LSD is detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Experiments with spiked samples resulted in a recovery of 76%, the coefficient of variation was 9.3%. Excellent linearity was obtained over the range...