ABSTRACT
A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)has been used to determine aconitine in the sample of rabbits. Kinetics of degradation of aconitine in vitro was studied. The degradation of aconite from the poisoned specimens (coagulated blood, liver) treated differently in vitro was characterized by pseudo-secondorder kinetics. The K. of aconitine in these samples was the biggest in the fixed section of 4% aqueous solution of formaldehyde (1.5619, O.7728?g/d), bigger in the fixed section of 95% alcohol(0.4891, 0.07536?g/d) and the smallest in the refrigerator at 4℃ (0.06372, 0.03903 ?g/d), respectively. That is, aconitine in the poisoned samples was decomposed slowly in the refrigerator and secondly in the fixative of alcohol. Amount of aconitine might be extrapolated from the result of examination of specimens taken from the subject after poisoning or killing by the poison, using the kinetics equation.