First identification of drugs in Egyptian mummies

Balabanova, S.; Parsche, Franz; Pirsig, W

doi:10.1007/bf01140178

Cited by 74 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…One should, equally important, be aware of the possibility that nicotine concentration may increase by adsorption after sampling, if stored unprotected from external nicotine contamination. The finding of nicotine in hair from 3000 years old mummies (Balabanova et al 1992) may support a high stability and persistence of nicotine in hair, although the possibility of subsequent external contamination is obvious.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…During the last years, the measurement of nicotine in hair has been suggested to be a good marker for individual exposure to tobacco smoke (Ishiyama et al 1983;Haley & Hoffman 1985;Zahlsen & Nilsen 1990;Balabanova et al 1990;Kintz 1992). However, some of these studies demonstrate the disadvantage of using unspecific analytical methods and/or inadequate procedures for collection of hair samples.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nicotine in Hair of Smokers and Non‐Smokers: Sampling Procedure and Gas Chromatographic/Mass Spectrometric Analysis

Zahlsen

Nilsen

1994

Pharmacology & Toxicology

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A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method for analysis of nicotine in scalp hair and measurements of nicotine in hair from 20 smokers and non-smokers with a one year interval are presented. The gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method, based on selected ion monitoring of the ion m/z 162, with ions m/z 133 and 84 as qualifier ions, allows a highly selective and sensitive detection of nicotine in hair samples avoiding interference from other chemicals present in hair. Nicotine is extracted after alkaline dissolution i 5M NaOH. The sampling procedure takes into account that significant amounts of nicotine in hair is probably adsorbed and deposited from atmospheric air. In consequence, the hair samples must be taken from a site with sufficient contact with surrounding air and the measured concentration of nicotine must be related to the length of the hair segment and its distance from the scalp. Our study demonstrated very clear and statistically significant differences in the concentrations of nicotine in hair from smokers and non-smokers, a high reproducibility of hair nicotine measurements over time, and that the presented method is sensitive enough to detect individual changes not only in smoking habits, but also in environmental nicotine exposure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nicotine in Hair of Smokers and Non‐Smokers: Sampling Procedure and Gas Chromatographic/Mass Spectrometric Analysis

Zahlsen

Nilsen

1994

Pharmacology & Toxicology

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“…A variety of modern contaminants can be introduced through the environment, storage, or during transportation, etc. One possible example of the latter is the identification of nicotine and cocaine in Egyptian mummies . These results were challenged by attributing the presence of alkaloids to modern contaminants .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The detection of nicotine in a Late Mayan period flask by gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry methods

Zagorevski

Loughmiller-Newman

2012

Rapid Comm Mass Spectrometry

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Several ancient Mayan vessels from the Kislak Collection of the US Library of Congress were examined for the presence of alkaloids. One of them, a codex-style flask, bears a text that appears to read yo-'OTOT-ti 'u-MAY, spelling y-otoot 'u-may 'the home of its/his/her tobacco'. Samples extracted from this Late Classic period (600 to 900 AD) container were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) methods. Nicotine was identified as the major component of the extracts. LC/MS analyses also yielded signals due to nicotine mono-oxides. The identities of the compounds were determined by comparison of the chromatographic and/or mass spectral characteristics with those from standards and literature data. High-resolution high mass accuracy tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) spectra of protonated nicotine and nicotine mono-oxides were measured to verify and to correct previous product ion assignments. These analyses provided positive evidence for nicotine from a Mayan vessel, indicating it as a likely holder of tobacco leafs. The result of this investigation is the first physical evidence of tobacco from a Mayan container, and only the second example where the vessel content recorded in a Mayan hieroglyphic text has been confirmed directly by chromatography/mass spectrometry trace analysis.

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“…Svetla Balabanova, a German researcher, along with her colleagues using hair, skin and muscle taken from the head and abdomen claimed in an article in the Naturwissenschaften in 1992 that traces of cocaine, hashish and nicotine were found in 9 Egyptian mummies dated 1070 BC-395 AD. [20]. All tissues were sprayed and dissolved in sodium chloride, homogenized and centrifuged, measured by radioimmunoassay (Merck, Biermann) and mass gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Hewlett Packard) called GCMS [21].…”

Section: Drugs Throughout Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Theoretical Transdisciplinary Approach to Drug Use: History, Anthropology and Culture

Copaceanu

Balaceanu-Stolnici

2018

TJES

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First identification of drugs in Egyptian mummies

Cited by 74 publications

References 4 publications

Nicotine in Hair of Smokers and Non‐Smokers: Sampling Procedure and Gas Chromatographic/Mass Spectrometric Analysis

Nicotine in Hair of Smokers and Non‐Smokers: Sampling Procedure and Gas Chromatographic/Mass Spectrometric Analysis

The detection of nicotine in a Late Mayan period flask by gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry methods

A Theoretical Transdisciplinary Approach to Drug Use: History, Anthropology and Culture

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