Generic detection of basic taxoids in wood of European Yew (Taxus baccata) by liquid chromatography–ion trap mass spectrometry

The occurrence of the cardiotoxin taxine (comprising taxine B and several other basic taxoids) in leaves of Taxus baccata L. (European yew) is well known and has led to public concerns about the safety of eating or drinking from utensils crafted from the wood of this poisonous species. The occurrence of basic taxoids in the heartwood of T. baccata had not been examined in detail, although the bark is known to contain 2′β-deacetoxyaustrospicatine. Initial examination of heartwood extracts for 2′β-deacetoxyaustrospicatine by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) revealed the presence of this basic taxoid at about 0.0007% dry weight, using a standard isolated from bark. Analyses for taxine B, however, proved negative at the extract concentration analysed. Observing other basic taxoids within the heartwood extracts was facilitated by developing generic LC–MS methods that utilised a fragment arising from the N-containing acyl group of basic taxoids as a reporter ion. Of the various MS strategies available on a hybrid ion trap-orbitrap instrument that allowed observation of this reporter ion, combining all-ion collisions with high resolution ion filtering by the orbitrap was most effective, both in terms of the number of basic taxoids detected and sensitivity. Numerous basic taxoids, in addition to 2′β-deacetoxyaustrospicatine, were revealed by this method in heartwood extracts of T. baccata. Red wine readily extracted the basic taxoids from heartwood while coffee extracted them less efficiently. Contamination with basic taxoids could also be detected in soft cheese that had been spread onto wood. The generic LC–MS method for detecting basic taxoids complements specific methods for detecting taxine B when investigating yew poisoning cases in which the analysis of complex extracts may be required or taxine B has not been detected.

► Generic method developed for detecting basic taxoids by LC–MS.
► Basic taxoids detected in heartwood of Taxus baccata (European yew).
► Wine extracts basic taxoids from yew wood.
► It is suggested that wine should not be drunk from vessels made of yew wood.