LC-EI-MS determination of veratridine and cevadine in two fatal cases of Veratrum album poisoning

We report two fatal poisonings due to the ingestion of plant material. The two deceased were discovered in the water of a mountain lake about one month after the postmortem immersion of the corpses. Macroscopic examination of the stomachs revealed the presence of a very large number of small blackish granules, which were later identified as seeds of a Veratrum species. Veratridine and cevadine were identified and quantitated by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Measured blood concentrations were 0.17 and 0.40 ng/mL for veratridine and 0.32 and 0.48 ng/mL for cevadine. The absence of other toxic substance led to the assumption that this massive ingestion was the cause of death, although the circumstances surrounding intake remained unknown.