ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 November 2002
Page Count: 6

Colchicine Poisoning Resulting from Accidental Ingestion of Meadow Saffron (Colchicum Autumnale)
Kuroda, N
Hirosaki University School of Medicine,

Sannohe, S
Hirosaki University School of Medicine,

Kita, T
Hirosaki University School of Medicine,

Shinozuka, T
School of Medicine, Keio University,

Makino, Y
Hirosaki University School of Medicine,

(Received 14 June 2002; accepted 31 May 2002)

Abstract

A rare case of colchicine poisoning resulting from accidental ingestion of meadow saffron (Colchicum Autumnale) is reported. The plant can frequently be found in the woods of the Northern Hemisphere (1), also in Japan. A 48-year-old male was admitted to hospital complaining of vomiting, nausea and diarrhea following ingestion of the plant and died in four days. The most striking histological findings were metaphasic mitotic figures in the mucosa of the large intestine and the liver. Colchicine was detected in the bile with high-performance liquid chromatography/ sonicspray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC/SSI-MS).

Keywords:
forensic science, colchicine poisoning, colchicum autumnale, accidental ingestion, pathology, toxicology

Paper ID: JFS15581J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS15581J
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