The active, poisonous constituents in Taxus baccata, the yew plants, are taxine alkaloids whose main action is suggested to be a block of calcium and sodium channels.
The main alkaloids are taxine B (30%) and taxine A (1.3%). Symptoms can include bradycardia, bradypnea, diastolic, and cardiac standstill. The current investigation reports
the analytical toxicology of human blood and urine to confirm a suspected ingestion
of yew needles. This includes the qualitative detection of several yew ingredients,
including the main alkaloids, the validated quantification of 3,5-dimethoxyphenol,
and the discussion of suitable analytical targets. After analyzing human specimens
and yew needle extracts using the developed procedures, the five alkaloids
1-deotaxine B, taxicatin, taxine A, taxine B, and taxine I could be detected and tentatively identified. Finally, taxine A and B can be recommended as analytical targets
besides 3,5-dimethoxyphenol