Chemical pathologist Dr Norashikin Othman said VX nerve agent may not be the only reason why there is a low amount of enzyme in a person’s blood.
The witness said this during cross-examination by lawyer Gooi Soon Seng on whether she agreed a low enzyme level could be due to taking female hormones.
Cholinesterase enzyme is an enzyme inside the human’s body that controls the muscles and coordination of body movements.
A lack of the enzyme can lead to heart and muscle dysfunction.
Norashikin was the fifth prosecution witness in Kim Jong Nam’s murder trial at the High Court here.
Two women, Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, are standing trial on the charge of murdering the estranged half-brother of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un on Feb 13.
The eldest son of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, arrived in Malaysia on Feb 6, and was scheduled to board a 9am flight to Macau on the same day.
He died on the way to Putrajaya Hospital from klia2, sparking a diplomatic row between Putrajaya and Pyongyang.
During the opening statement on Monday, the prosecution said it would prove that the two women approached Jong Nam at the airport’s departure hall and sprayed VX nerve agent on his eyes and face.
Prosecutors told the court the actions of Siti and Doan showed they both intended to cause Jong Nam’s death.
Earlier, in her testimony today, Norashikin said the level of cholinesterase enzyme in Jong Nam’s samples were about 15 times lower than the normal enzyme level a man is supposed to have.
“His enzyme level was 344 units per litre while Siti and Doan were 6,781 and 7,163 units per litre respectively,” she said, adding that the women’s enzyme levels were at normal levels.
She added the VX nerve agent could lower the enzyme level in a person’s bloodstream and affect the functions of the heart and lungs.
Before the end of the second day’s trial today, HKL’s forensic department director Dr Mohd Shah Mahmud began telling the court about the results of various medical reports.
Justice Azmi Ariffin told the witness to continue his testimony tomorrow.