Citation

Kiesel BD, Elkins KM. J. Forensic Sci. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Chemistry Department, Forensic Science Program, Towson University, 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD, 21252.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1556-4029.14093

PMID

31157922

Abstract

Artemisia absinthium (wormwood), a common ingredient in absinthe, contains the compound thujone, which is unregulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Thujone can cause an "unregulated legal high" in higher concentrations. The European Union limits thujone from Artemisia species to 35 mg/kg while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires less than 10 ppm to be "thujone-free." However, individuals can smoke or ingest A. absinthium in different forms. This study developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) high-resolution melt (HRM) assay to detect and identify A. absinthium based on primer specificity, sensitivity, repeatability, and robustness. A triplex assay was performed with three "unregulated legal high" species: Datura stramonium, Merremia tuberosa, and A. absinthium; the PCR HRM assay detected and identified each plant at melt temperatures 77.42 ± 0.20°C, 83.88 ± 0.22°C, and 87.77 ± 0.15°C, respectively. The primer set developed distinguished A. absinthium from a variety of plant species and was successfully triplexed.

© 2019 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Language: en

Keywords

Artemisia absinthium
;
Datura stramonium
;
Merremia tuberosa
; forensic science; high-resolution melt (HRM); legal high; polymerase chain reaction (PCR); triplex assay; wormwood