COVER STORY: The Identification of Alkaloids in Urine - Two Intoxication Cases

摘要

Rapid and reliable screening of alkaloids in clinical samples is relevant, and also challenging. However, very few cases of alkaloid intoxications and their analyses have been published. This paper shows the successful applicability of an automated analytical tool (TOX.I.S.) for the determination of alkaloids in urine by presenting authentic cases of intoxications. Intoxication with alkaloids from herbal sources is always an emergency case. Approximately 12percent of the consultations at the North German Poison Information are related to plant abuse or accidential plant ingestions. Fast and reliable identification of the nature of the intoxication is essential for diagnosis and further treatment.