[Analysis of taxus baccata alkaloids in biological samples with the use of chromatographic methods]

The aim of the experiment was to develop a method of the identification of taxines (taxine B and isotaxine B) from Taxus leaves and its application to the analysis of biological samples collected from the deceased girl. The object of the investigation was the analysis of taxines in post-mortem samples collected from a 15-year-old girl, who consumed leaves of Taxus baccata to commit suicide. She died after several hours of hospitalization. Taxus alkaloids, especially taxine B and isotaxine B, are not commercially available. Due to this fact, the authors worked out a preliminary method of isolating taxines from Taxus leaves and their extraction using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and solid-phase extraction (SPE). Identification of the presence of taxine B and isotaxine B in the extract from Taxus leaves was performed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (HPLC-ESI-MS-MS). The developed method was applied to determination of taxine B and isotaxine B in the biological samples collected from the girl's body. The samples were prepared using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and analyzed by HPLC-ESI-MS-MS. The results demonstrated that all the samples contained taxine B and isotaxine B. The results of toxicological investigations were confirmed by macroscopic and microscopic histological examinations.