Citation

Pilija V, Djurendic-Brenesel M, Miletic S. Forensic Sci. Int. 2018; 290: e1-e4.

Affiliation

Center for Forensic Medicine, Toxicology and Molecular Genetics, Clinical Center Vojvodina, Hajduk Veljkova 7-9, 21 000, Novi Sad, Serbia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.07.017

PMID

30064830

Abstract

In this report we describe a first suicide case in Serbia related to ingestion of Taxus baccata leaves. A 30-year old woman was found dead, and the green plant material in a plastic bag was found near her bed. Autopsy revealed dark green needle-like leaves in the stomach, similar to that contained in the plastic bag, and both were botanically identified as Taxus baccata, also known as yew. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), 3,5-dimethoxyphenol (3,5-DMP) as toxicological evidence for the ingestion of yew leaves, was detected in biological samples. As the autopsy showed unspecific findings, and also the routine toxicological examination, based upon 3,5-DMP identification, the cause of death was determined to be suicide, caused by yew poisoning.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

3,5-Dimethoxyphenol; Fatal poisoning; GC–MS; Taxus baccata; Yew leaves