Arsenic is naturally found in surface and ground waters and the inorganic forms of arsenic are the most toxic forms. The adverse health effects of arsenic may involve the respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, nervous, and haematopoietic systems. Arsenic contamination in drinking water is a global problem widely seen in Bangladesh and West Bengal of the Indian sub continent. As there is...

Halitosis occurs in approximately 30% of the adult population and has a negative social and psychological impact on affected individuals. Mouthwashes may be used to prevent unpleasant odour, with long-duration of effect being a desirable attribute. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term efficacy of CB12 (a mixture of 0.3% zinc acetate and 0.025% chlorhexidine) for the treatment of in...

In the form of a decoction, X. aethiopica is traditionally employed in the treatment of bronchitis, asthma, arthritis and rheumatism in Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. This study establishes the inhibitory effect of X. aethiopica and its principal constituent, xylopic acid, on the arachidonic acid pathway of inflammation. Hydrogen sulphide is endogenously produced in mammalian tissues from the enz...

A neonate had transient unexplained bleeding into the gut, severe encephalopathy, and an abnormal pungent body odour. An inherited metabolic defect was excluded. The malodour was due to methanethiol and hydrogen sulphide, identified in urine. These sulphur compounds may have contributed to encephalopathy. Colonic bacteria were the probable source.

Slurry tank storage facilities are playing an increasing role in mechanised farming. Accidental poisoning from gases produced in such tanks is a recognised hazard, and multiple fatalities have been reported.1 2 The principal constituents are methane, ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide. The most dangerous of these is hydrogen sulphide which acts in a similar manner to cyanide, with re...