Characterization and Analysis of Cerberin in Pong Pong Seeds from the “Suicide Tree”
Additional Funding Sources
This project was supported by NIH Grant Nos. P20GM103408, P20GM109095, and 1C06RR020533, NSF Grant Nos. 0619793 and 0923535, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, and IGEM HERC.
Abstract
Cerbera odollam, as known as the pong pong tree, is a native plant of India, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. The Cerbera odollam produces brown oval seeds that yield a dangerous bioactive cardiac glycoside, cerberin, which has been used in various ways, including witch trials in Madagascar, or used to commit suicide or murder. Those who ingest these seeds will suffer from a variety of symptoms like nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, followed by heart-related symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, bradycardia, chest pain/tightness, and hypotension which could potentially result in death. The McDougal lab was sent blood samples from a patient that had intentionally consumed pong-pong and survived the self-induced poisoning. The project aims were to characterize cerberin, 2-o-acetyl neriifolin, in the seed and then identify the poison in the patient's blood. The characterization of, 2-o-acetyl neriifolin was determined using a developed method via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to generate a calibration curve for commercially available cerberin. After cerberin was correctly identified within the standard, then it was important to identify cerberin in the extract of pong-pong seeds purchased from Amazon.com. The method used to identify cerberin from the seed extract will then be customized for analysis of cerberin in patient blood. We seek to publish the results of our study together with the doctors at Emory University.
Characterization and Analysis of Cerberin in Pong Pong Seeds from the “Suicide Tree”
Cerbera odollam, as known as the pong pong tree, is a native plant of India, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. The Cerbera odollam produces brown oval seeds that yield a dangerous bioactive cardiac glycoside, cerberin, which has been used in various ways, including witch trials in Madagascar, or used to commit suicide or murder. Those who ingest these seeds will suffer from a variety of symptoms like nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, followed by heart-related symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, bradycardia, chest pain/tightness, and hypotension which could potentially result in death. The McDougal lab was sent blood samples from a patient that had intentionally consumed pong-pong and survived the self-induced poisoning. The project aims were to characterize cerberin, 2-o-acetyl neriifolin, in the seed and then identify the poison in the patient's blood. The characterization of, 2-o-acetyl neriifolin was determined using a developed method via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to generate a calibration curve for commercially available cerberin. After cerberin was correctly identified within the standard, then it was important to identify cerberin in the extract of pong-pong seeds purchased from Amazon.com. The method used to identify cerberin from the seed extract will then be customized for analysis of cerberin in patient blood. We seek to publish the results of our study together with the doctors at Emory University.