Colchicine Extract Suicidal Lethal Poisoning Confirmation Using High-Resolution Accurate Mass Spectrometry: A Case Study
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Updated: Feb 1, 2026

Semi-Quantitative Analysis of Peptidoglycan by Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry and Bioinformatics
Published on: October 13, 2020
Ludovit Schreiber1, Martin Morovič2, Katarína Špacayová3
1Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Abstract:
A case of suspected acute and lethal intoxication caused by colchicine has been reported. The woman was hospitalized after her suspicion of suicidal poisoning by a rare autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale). Suspected colchicine poisoning was confirmed using a novel UHPLC method with a modern reversed-phase stationary phase with a sub 2-micron superficial porous particle size combined with a QTOF mass spectrometer. Sample preparation procedure included the addition of propiverine as internal standard, protein precipitation using methanol and solid phase extraction. High-resolution MS only and targeted MS/MS modes are reported for the qualitative analysis and screening of other potential drugs of abuse in blood samples. All Ion MS mode was used for quantitative determination of colchicine afterward. The concentration of colchicine in the blood sample was approximately 41 ng/mL, and more than 200 μg/mL of the plant extract used for the suicide.
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