Introduction: Common yew (Taxus baccata) is a common decorative evergreen shrub with potentially fatal toxicity hallmarked by seizure, arrhythmia and cardiovascular collapse if ingested. Taxine B has been identified as one of the most cardiotoxic taxine alkaloids in Taxus spp, and another alkaloid, 3,5-dimethoxyphenol (3,5-DMP), is used as a marker of ingestion. We present a fatal case of ingestion of yew with perimortem serum and gastric taxine B, and 3,5-DMP concentrations.
Case presentation: A 22-year-old woman was brought to the emergency department (ED) from a nearby botanical garden after she was found apneic and pulseless after a witnessed generalized tonic clonic seizure. The patient was found to have a wide complex rhythm with persistent cardiovascular collapse and expired despite maximal supportive care in the ED. A baggie of plant material was found on the patient, identified as Taxus baccata. Perimortem serum and gastric samples were analyzed to quantify serum and gastric taxine B and 3,5-DMP concentrations.
Results: Perimortem serum showed a 3,5-DMP concentration of 86.9 ng/mL, and taxine B of 80.9 ug/mL.
Conclusion: We report a perimortem serum and gastric taxine B and 3,5-DMP concentrations in a fatal case of T. baccata toxicity. 相似文献
Recent discovery of new and bioactive taxane diterpenoids from the roots, barks, seeds, leaves and the stems of Taxus mairei and T. sumatrana, Taiwanese yew trees are described. More than thirty new compounds including taxumatrols A and B (36, 37) have been isolated and their structures determined by spectroscopic analysis and chemical derivatization and correlation. Some of the isolated taxoids exhibited potent cytotoxicity against human tumor cells. 相似文献
AbstractSeasonal variations in taxane concentrations in Taxus canadensis. Marsh. (Canada yew) were measured at 15 sampling dates from September 2004 to September 2005 by clipping 3-year-old shoots from the same 15 plants. Four age classes of needles and stems were separated and individually weighed and analyzed for the three major taxanes in T. canadensis.: 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB III), 9-dihydro-13-acetylbaccatin III (9-DHAB III), and paclitaxel (PAC). The dry weight fraction of each foliage age class decreased with increasing age; that is, proportionately more young than old foliage (current > current + 1 year > current + 2 year) was present in a 3-year-old stem. The ratio of needle:stem dry weight also decreased with increasing foliage age. Taxane concentrations varied widely, depending on the tissue, its age, and time of year. Peak concentrations were observed for a short period at the end of the growing season (August–September). The lowest taxane levels were found during the period of active growth: April through July. PAC and 9-DHAB III concentrations were higher in needles, but young stems contained the highest amounts of 10-DAB III. Levels of all three taxanes were higher in young than in old stems, likely due to increasing amounts of taxane-poor stem wood. Composite taxane concentrations were calculated for 3-year-old foliage from the component needle and stem weights and taxane analyses. It is suggested that summer harvesting between April and July (the low point in annual taxane levels) yields the poorest quality biomass, and harvesting from August onward is preferable. 相似文献