[Acute dietary poisoning by white hellebore (Veratrum album L.). Clinical and analytical data. A propos of 5 cases]. / Intoxication aiguë alimentaire par l'ellebore blanc (Veratum album L.). Données cliniques et analytiques. A propos de 5 cas.

Five cases of acute accidental poisoning with White Hellebore are reported. All cases occurred several minutes after the ingestion of home-made gentian wine. The clinical signs were nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, hypotension and bradycardia. The initial ECG showed sinus bradycardia in 4 cases. In one patient, complete atrioventricular block with an ectopic atrial bradycardia and an intermittent idioventricular rhythm was recorded. Symptomatic treatment and/or atropine led to recovery within a few hours. These symptoms suggested poisoning with a veratrum alkaloid. The White Hellebore (Veratrum Album L.) and the Yellow Gentian (Gentiana Lutea L.) often grow side by side in the fields; it is easy to confuse the two plants before they flower if one is not a botanist. Each gentian wine was analysed by thin layer chromatography and chemical ionisation spectrometry. All the wines contained Veratrum alkaloids.

An assessment of the physiological significance of cimetidine interactions with copper and zinc in biofluids as based on the computer-simulated distribution of the involved complexes at therapeutic levels of the drug.

The hypothesis was formerly put forward that the main therapeutic action of cimetidine (the histamine H2-receptor antagonist marketed as Tagamet) as well as some of its side effects might be mediated by its interactions with essential metal ions. The present paper reports the potentiometric study of the coordination of the drug with copper(II) and zinc(II) in NaCl 0.15 mol dm-3 at 37 degrees C. Special attention was paid to copper complexes, due to (i) the involvement of cimetidine in rheumatoid arthritis evolution which could be related to the well-established role of copper against this disease, (ii) the anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory properties of copper. In particular, the copper-cimetidine-histamine and copper-cimetidine-histidine ternary systems were investigated. Computer simulations of the distribution of cimetidine, zinc and copper in blood plasma were performed at therapeutic levels of the drug. No influence can be expected from cimetidine on the bioavailability of these metal ions, the opposite being also true. The mediation of copper in the action of cimetidine on rheumatoid arthritis should thus be ruled out, the influence of the drug being rather interpretable in terms of reduction of histamine release. Similarly, the sexual dysfunctions due to cimetidine administration are unlikely to arise from the interactions of drug with zinc in blood plasma. The possible involvement of copper and zinc in cimetidine gastrointestinal absorption is also discussed.

[Determination of nicotine in breast milk by coupling gas chromatography and mass spectrometry]. / Dosage de la nicotine dans le lait de femme par couplage chromatographie en phase gazeuse--spectrométrie de masse.

The authors describe the nicotine quantification in milk by GC - MS. In order to obtain a good chromatographic separation, the nicotine is previously separated by steam distillation. Quinoleine is used as internal standard. CV is lower than 5 per cent.

Poisoning with Veratrum-containing sneezing powders.

1 Nine cases of accidental poisoning of children with sneezing powder are reported. Symptoms, besides sneezing, included gastrointestinal disturbances and syncope, whilst examination demonstrated bradycardia and hypotension. 2 The powder, as supplied, carried no information on its constituents but Veratrum alkaloids were identified on analysis. The signs and symptoms observed were compatible with poisoning from these compounds. 3 As a result of these observations, it was possible to trace the manufacturers and a change was made to a safer formulation. This example emphasises the value of toxic vigilance by Poison Control Centres.

[Estimation of guanoxabenz in biological fluids (author's transl)]. / Dosage du guanoxabenz dans les liquides biologiques.

A molecule sensitive to light, to variations in temperature and pH, guanoxabenz hydrochloride cannot be estimated in biological fluids according to classical technics. The authors propose an analytical method based, during the extraction phase, on the formation of a copper complex extractable in organic medium and in the true phase of measurement, on the transformation, by hydrochloric acid hydrolysis in dichloro-2-6-benzaldehyde, estimated by gas phase chromatography with detection by capture of electrons. The sensitivity and the specificity of the technic authorise its use in pharmacokinetic studies in man.