Postmortem Diffusion of Aconitum Alkaloids and Their Metabolites in Rabbits

doi:10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2022.421205

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective To explore the postmortem diffusion rule of Aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites in poisoned rabbits, and to provide a reference for identifying the antemortem poisoning or postmortem poisoning of Aconitum alkaloids. Methods Twenty-four rabbits were sacrificed by tracheal clamps. After 1 hour, the rabbits were administered with aconitine LD₅₀ in decocting aconite root powder by intragastric administration. Then, they were placed supine and stored at 25 ℃. The biological samples from 3 randomly selected rabbits were collected including heart blood, peripheral blood, urine, heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney tissues at 0 h, 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h after intragastric administration, respectively. Aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites in the biological samples were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （HPLC-MS/MS）. Results At 4 h after intragastric administration, Aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites could be detected in heart blood, peripheral blood and major organs, and the contents of them changed dynamically with the preservation time. The contents of Aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites were higher in the spleen, liver and lung, especially in the spleen which was closer to the stomach. The average mass fraction of benzoylmesaconine metabolized in rabbit spleen was the highest at 48 h after intragastric administration. In contrast, the contents of Aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites in kidney were all lower. Aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites were not detected in urine. Conclusion Aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites have postmortem diffusion in poisoned rabbits, diffusing from high-content organs （stomach） to other major organs and tissues as well as the heart blood. The main mechanism is the dispersion along the concentration gradient, while urine is not affected by postmortem diffusion, which can be used as the basis for the identification of antemortem and postmortem Aconitum alkaloids poisoning.

Key words: forensic toxicology, forensic toxicokinetics, Aconitum alkaloids, metabolite, postmortem diffusion, antemortem poisoning, postmortem poisoning, rabbits

CLC Number:

Jia-hao LIANG, Ming CHENG, Xiao-jun LU, Yan-hua SHI, Yun SUN, Qing-lin GUAN, Tao WANG, Meng HU, Ke-ming YUN, Hai-yan CUI. Postmortem Diffusion of Aconitum Alkaloids and Their Metabolites in Rabbits[J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2024, 40(2): 186-191.

Figures/Tables 3

Fig. 1 The content variation trend of Aconitum alkaloidsand their metabolites in heart blood of rabbits within96 h after intragastric administration after death

Fig. 2 The content variation trend of Aconitum alkaloids andtheir metabolites in peripheral blood of rabbits within96 h after intragastric administration after death

Fig. 3 The content variation trend of Aconitum alkaloids and their metabolites in major organsof rabbits within 96 h after intragastric administration after death

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