In:
Journal of Forensic Sciences, Wiley, Vol. 54, No. 3 ( 2009-05), p. 721-727
Abstract:
Abstract: DNA and chemical analysis of gastric contents of a deceased person were handled in this work. The body of the victim was discovered in his car, submerged in a lake. We were asked to determine whether or not the gastric contents of the victim harbored drugs and dandelion material. It was suspected that the victim had been murdered by poisoning with an excess amount of sleeping medication (doxylamine), which had been homogenized with dandelion. The concentrations of 11.4 and 27.5 mg/kg of doxylamine detected from spleen and liver of the victim were far higher than the assumed therapeutic concentration. Via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis and direct sequencing analysis of plant genetic markers such as intergenic transcribed spacer, 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), rbc L and trn LF, it was confirmed that the gastric contents of the victim contained taraxasterol, which is one of the marker compounds for dandelion and contained dandelion species‐specific rbc L and trn L‐ trn F IGS ( trn LF) sequences. The initial PCR of the genomic DNA isolated from the gastric contents showed insufficient quantity, and the second PCR, of which the template was a portion of the initial PCR products, exhibited a sufficient quantity for direct sequencing. rbc L and trn LF located in the cpDNA resulted in the successful determination of dandelion DNA in a decedent’s stomach contents. GC–MS identifies the actual presence of a taraxasterol at 28.4 min. Raw dandelion was assumed to be used as a masking vehicle for excess sleeping drug (doxylamine).
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0022-1198
,
1556-4029
DOI:
10.1111/jfo.2009.54.issue-3
DOI:
10.1111/j.1556-4029.2009.01019.x
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2009
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2026357-0
SSG:
2,1
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