RESUMO
High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) was applied for the detection of grayanotoxins (GrTx) in a contaminated honey sample. This sample was provided by a hospital due to a suspicion of intoxication after a patient had shown the typical symptoms of GrTx poisoning. Subsequent analysis proved the contamination with high amounts of GrTx and other toxins belonging to grayanane-type diterpenoids. This group of natural toxins is synthesised by the plant family Ericaceae and comprises more than 60 individual toxins, but only one compound is available as a reference standard. We applied a screening approach that easily confirms the presence or absence of GrTx without access to standards. By searching for predictable mass spectrometric fragment ions, including typical in-source fragments arising from collision-induced dissociation during electrospray ionisation, the complete toxin profile was screened and allowed the mass spectrometric identification of 15 individual GrTx. The potential of this approach is especially demonstrated by the fact that at least two of these toxins have not been previously described in the literature. A semi-quantitative estimation indicated a total toxin concentration of 358 mg kg(-1). An investigation of 49 honeys from the German retail market did not reveal the presence of GrTx.
Assuntos
Diterpenos/isolamento & purificação , Contaminação de Alimentos/análise , Doenças Transmitidas por Alimentos/diagnóstico , Mel/análise , Toxinas Biológicas/isolamento & purificação , Acidentes de Trânsito , Bradicardia/induzido quimicamente , Bradicardia/diagnóstico , Bradicardia/fisiopatologia , Ericaceae/química , Doenças Transmitidas por Alimentos/fisiopatologia , Mel/toxicidade , Humanos , Masculino , Espectrometria de Massas/métodos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Padrões de Referência , Inconsciência/induzido quimicamente , Inconsciência/diagnóstico , Inconsciência/fisiopatologiaRESUMO
Medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC) constitute about 5 to 7 % of thyroid neoplasms. They originate from parafollicular C-cells which can secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and/or corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in abnormally high concentrations, potentially causing paraneoplastic Cushing's Syndrome (CS). We report on a 42-year-old male patient with a ten year history of metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma suffering from paraneoplastic Cushing's Syndrome caused by ectopic hypersecretion of ACTH and a simultaneous Cortisol producing adrenal metastasis.
