Based on the evidence presented, the husband was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Does wolfsbane cause heart attack series#
Could the tetrodotoxin delay the action of aconitine? Could these toxins act in an antagonistic fashion? A series of experiments on mice showed that the toxic effects of aconitine were markedly reduced by the oral co-administration of tetrodotoxin. He knew that the toxic effects of aconitine are due to enhancing the influx of sodium ions into nerve cells, and that tetrodotoxin kills by starving nerve cells of sodium. When authorities tested the victim’s stored blood, they found tetrodotoxin. Since the species harbours the potent poison tetrodotoxin, Japanese chefs are specially trained to remove the toxic organs before serving “fugu,” as the dish is known.
The accused had also purchased some pufferfish, a delicacy in Japan. The investigation revealed something else, as well. That led to his arrest, indictment and then ultimately, conviction, for murder. But the police kept digging, and four years later discovered that the husband had purchased a bunch of Aconitum napellus plants. Still, this was not enough to connect the husband to the poisoning because of the time problem. A method of detecting very small amounts of Aconitum alkaloids using the combined techniques of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry was worked out, and they were indeed detected in the stored samples. Luckily, the police decided to keep some blood samples and just nine months later that foresight paid off. The last time husband and wife were together was about an hour and a half before her collapse aconite’s effects would have been manifested in a much shorter period of time. And there was also an issue with the time frame. There was no way at the time to test blood or tissue samples for the tiny amounts of alkaloids that could have caused death.
While aconite can account for paralysis and irregular heartbeat, there were a couple of problems with the poisoning theory. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Manage Print Subscription / Tax Receipt.
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