Arsenic mobilizing agents for use in humans exposed to inorganic arsenic.

H. V. Aposhian* and M. M. Aposhian
The University of Arizona
Molecular and Cellular Biology Department
Tucson , Arizona

*Contact Information: H. V. Aposhina, Ph. D.
Professor
Molecular and Cellular Biology Department
The University of Arizona
Life Sciences South, Room 444
P. O. Box 210107
Tucson , Arizona 85721-0106
E-mail: aposhian@u.arizona.edu
Telephone No.: 520-621-7565
Fax No. 520-621-3709

Although the major danger of severe chronic arsenic exposure and toxicity is via highly contaminated drinking water, other exposures usually at much lower or different levels, are possible. These include arsenic in food, CCA-impregnated wood, commercial fertilizer containing arsenic, and suicidal and homicidal intent.

The best treatment for any kind of metal toxicity is removal from exposure. However, when the use of metal mobilizing agents are medically necessary, three agents have been used, BAL, DMSA, and DMPS. BAL (British Anti-Lewisite) was developed during World War II and introduced into civilian medicine shortly thereafter. Its use in civilian medicine has been stopped because it caused redistribution of tissue arsenic so that brain and testicular arsenic were increased. DMSA (meso-2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid, succimer, Chemet R) is approved by the FDA for treating children with lead intoxication. It has had “off-label” use for treating arsenic toxicity. DMPS (2,3-dimercapto-1-propane sulfonate, Na salt, DIMAVAL R) is approved in Germany for treating mercury toxicity. The latter compound has been shown to decrease signs and symptoms of chronic arsenic toxicity in a small number of patients by Guha Mazumder and his associates in Calcutta . In the case of large, economically poor populations such as those found in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, the use of therapeutically-useful metal mobilizing or chelating agents have limited use because of their expense as well as questionable medical value in an environment of continuing exposure. Once the arsenic in drinking water problem is solved the question has to be addressed as to whether the body stores of arsenic need to be removed and, if so, how it needs to be done. (Supported in part by the Superfund Basic Research Program NIEHS Grant ES-04940 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center P30-ES-06694.

Keywords: arsenic, metal mobilizing agents, treatment

Topic for which your are submitting the abstract: Symposia