BACKGROUND Chronic arsenic poisoning is an important public health problem and most notable in West Bengal and Bangladesh. In this study different systemic manifestations in chronic arsenic poisoning were evaluated. METHODS A nonrandomized, controlled, cross-sectional, observational study was carried out in Arsenic Clinic, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, Wes...

Ascorbic acid treatment in arsenic trioxide treated rats increased arsenic excretion, inhibited lipid peroxidation, improved GSH status, regulated GSSG turnover and also restored glutathione-S-transferases activity in liver and kidney. Suitable mechanisms leading to ascorbic acid protection have been discussed. Upregulation of GSH dependent enzymes was found to be necessary for a protective eff...

Groundwater arsenic contamination has become a menacing global problem. No drug is available until now to combat chronic arsenic poisoning. To examine if a potentized homeopathic remedy, Arsenicum Album-200, can effectively combat chronic arsenic toxicity induced by repeated injections of Arsenic trioxide in mice, the following experimental design was adopted. Mice (Mus musculus) were injected ...

The case of a 50-year-old man who died mysteriously after being admitted to hospital is reported. He had raised the possibility of being poisoned prior to his death. A Coroner's post-mortem did not reveal the cause of death but this was subsequently established by post-mortem trace element analysis of liver, urine, blood and hair all of which revealed very high arsenic concentrations.

The effects of 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonic acid, Na salt (DMPS) on arsenic excretion in arsenic poisoning were studied using ICR mice. One group of mice was given arsenic trioxide (5 mg As/kg, s.c.) and another two groups were given DMSA or DMPS (100 mg/kg, i.p.) immediately after administration of the arsenic (5 mg/kg, s.c.). Arsenic excretion in uri...

Adverse human health effects ranging from skin lesions to internal cancers as well as widespread social and psychological problems caused by arsenic contaminated drinking water in Bangladesh may be the biggest arsenic calamity in the world. From an arsenicosis patients survey, this paper empirically analyzes the determinants of arsenicosis patients' perception about chronic arsenic poisoning an...

On the following morning they all seemed to get better, except one or two who complained of headache, burning sensation of the body and constantthirst. These symptoms were easily relieved by the administration of dilute Sulphuric acid in ten drop doses in an ounce of water every 2 hours. On the 6th July they were all discharged from the hospital cured. The history of the above case was the foll...

16% Exposure to arsenic through groundwater has been a major public health problem in the USA, Taiwan, Mexico, Mongolia, Argentina, India, Chile, and Bangladesh.1 More than 100 million people worldwide have been estimated to be chronically exposed to arsenic from drinking water containing high arsenic levels. The situation is devastating in Bangladesh that can easily be reflected via the number...

The study reports the use of three biomarkers i.e. total arsenic in hair and nails, total arsenic in blood, and total arsenic in urine to identify or quantify arsenic exposure and concomitant health effects. The main source of arsenic was inorganic exposure through drinking water. The arsenic levels and the health effects were analyzed closely in a family having maximum symptoms of arsenic. Bas...

The case of the death by arsenic poisoning of a 62-year-old white man is presented. One year prior to death, he developed intermittent bouts of severe gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhea, hyperpigmentation and keratosis of the skin, neutropenia, and Guillain-Barré-like neuropathy for which he was hospitalized several times. Urine test results 6 months prior to death indicating 36 mg/L ar...