A fatal intoxication following the ingestion of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine in an ayahuasca preparation.
Jason H Sklerov, Barry Levine, Karla A. Moore, Theodore M. King, David Fowler
Journal of Analytical Toxicology 2005 DOI: 10.1093/jat/29.8.838 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 25-year-old white male |
| Topics | 5-MeO-DMT Ayahuasca DMT |
| Keywords | Forensic toxicology Forensic analysis Toxicological investigation Drug testing Post-mortem toxicology Forensic science Hallucinogen intoxication Drug overdose Psychoactive substance poisoning Tryptamine toxicity 5-MEO-DMT Overdose Acute intoxication Hallucinogenic amine poisoning Drug-related death Fatal overdose Substance abuse fatality Drug fatality Accidental poisoning Drug-induced death Unexpected death Psychoactive substances Hallucinogenic drugs Tryptamines Beta-carbolines Entheogens Psychoactive compounds Herbal preparations Traditional medicine Ethnobotany Plant-based drugs Traditional herbal remedies |
| Citations | 142 |
| Key findings | The cause of death was hallucinogenic amine intoxication from herbal extracts containing beta-carbolines and hallucinogenic tryptamines. |
Abstract
A case of a 25-year-old white male who was found dead the morning after consuming herbal extracts containing beta-carbolines and hallucinogenic tryptamines is presented. No anatomic cause of death was found at autopsy. Toxicologic analysis of the heart blood identified N,N-dimethyltryptamine (0.02 mg/L), 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (1.88 mg/L), tetrahydroharmine (0.38 mg/L), harmaline (0.07 mg/L), and harmine (0.17 mg/L). All substances were extracted by a single-step n-butyl chloride extraction following alkalinization with borate buffer. Detection and quantitation was performed using liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry. The medical examiner ruled that the cause of death was hallucinogenic amine intoxication, and the manner of death was undetermined.