The Journal of Forensic Sciences has an interesting, if not tragic, case of a death after the injection of toad extract. The injector apparently though he was injecting MDMA (‘escstasy’) but the substance he was sold turned out to contain lethal levels of bufotenine, a toad venom, which is occasionally used as a hallucinogenic drug.
From the case study:
A 24-year-old male was observed to collapse and die soon after an intravenous injection of 35‚Äì40 ml of what was thought to be ‚Äòecstasy‚Äô (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine or MDMA). A friend had injected a smaller volume (20 ml) and had vomited but survived. The decedent was a known intravenous amphetamine user but was not known to abuse any other illicit drugs. The body was transferred to FSSA for autopsy along with a plastic bag containing the injected material and the empty syringe…
The basic extract was also found to contain paracetamol, promethazine and diclofenac, in addition to bufotenine…
Bufotenine (dimethylserotonin) is a tryptamine derivative alkaloid related to the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is found naturally in certain plants and in the secretions of various toads. Resibufogenin, cinobufagin and bufalin, known collectively as bufadienolides, are nitrogen-free steroidal lactones that are also found in toad venom. They may be cardiotoxic, having a similar effect to digoxin [an extract of the foxglove plant]. Toad secretions have also been dried and smoked as bufotenine has hallucinogenic effects, resulting in classification as a prohibited substance in Australia.
Link to PubMed entry for case study.
Mind Hacks 