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A fatal case of autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) poisoning in a heifer: confirmation by mass-spectrometric colchicine detection


Kupper, J; Rentsch, K; Mittelholzer, A; Artho, R; Meyer, S; Kupferschmidt, H; Naegeli, H (2010). A fatal case of autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) poisoning in a heifer: confirmation by mass-spectrometric colchicine detection. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 22(1):119-122.

Abstract

A heifer developed severe signs of acute gastrointestinal irritation 48 hr after ingesting fresh leaves of Colchicum autumnale growing on a damp meadow. Confirmation of the suspected toxicosis was obtained by detecting colchicine in serum and urine using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. Although the serum colchicine concentration had declined to an apparently nontoxic level of 2.4 ng/ml, a more prominent concentration (640 ng/ml) indicative of colchicine poisoning was detected in the urine. This finding is consistent with the known toxicokinetic properties of colchicine, whereby a large volume of distribution results in low circulating blood concentrations and prolonged urinary excretion.

Abstract

A heifer developed severe signs of acute gastrointestinal irritation 48 hr after ingesting fresh leaves of Colchicum autumnale growing on a damp meadow. Confirmation of the suspected toxicosis was obtained by detecting colchicine in serum and urine using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. Although the serum colchicine concentration had declined to an apparently nontoxic level of 2.4 ng/ml, a more prominent concentration (640 ng/ml) indicative of colchicine poisoning was detected in the urine. This finding is consistent with the known toxicokinetic properties of colchicine, whereby a large volume of distribution results in low circulating blood concentrations and prolonged urinary excretion.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:04 Faculty of Medicine > University Hospital Zurich > Institute of Clinical Chemistry
05 Vetsuisse Faculty > Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology
Dewey Decimal Classification:570 Life sciences; biology
610 Medicine & health
540 Chemistry
Scopus Subject Areas:Health Sciences > General Veterinary
Language:English
Date:2010
Deposited On:09 Nov 2010 09:57
Last Modified:28 Jun 2022 10:34
Publisher:American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians
ISSN:1040-6387
OA Status:Hybrid
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/104063871002200125
PubMed ID:20093699