In mice, the LD 50 for oral intake of arsenic trioxide is 26 mg/kg (Hughes 2002). Trivalent arsenicals have more potent toxicological properties than pentavalent arsenicals (Ratnaike 2003). 2009).Īrsenic commonly occurs naturally in two oxidation states, As(III) and As(V), and rarely in the 0 or –3 state.īoth As(III) and As(V) compounds cause acute and chronic adverse health effects. The environmental presence of As imposes a major health problem worldwide since it has been clearly shown that excessive or prolonged exposure to its compounds results in severe acute or chronic toxicity leading to a range of medical complications termed as “Arsenicosis” (Abdul et al. The human body contains approximately 0.08–0.02 mg As/kg, which mainly is concentrated in liver, kidneys, lungs, bones, and hair. It is also possible that As is an essential trace element for humans, although its role in metabolism has not been clearly defined (Oremland and Stolz 2003 Uthus 1992 Zoroddu et al. As in trace amounts is an essential nutrient for energy generation in prokaryotes and several eukaryotes, including birds and mammals. The review also considers the possible role of flavonoids, trace elements, and herbal drugs as promising natural chelating and detoxifying agents.Īrsenic (As) is a metalloid element (atomic weight 74.9216 amu, atomic number 33, group 15 of the periodic system). Consideration is given to the therapeutic effect of thiol chelators such as meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid, sodium 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonate, 2,3-dimercaptopropanol, penicillamine, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and other recent agents against As toxicity. This review discusses different aspects of the use of metal chelators, alone or in combination, in the treatment of As poisoning. One effective strategy in reducing the toxic effects of As is the usage of chelating agents, which provide the formation of inert chelator–metal complexes with their further excretion from the body.

The complex mechanism of As toxicity in the human body is associated with the generation of free radicals and the induction of oxidative damage in the cell. The sources of As such as contaminated water, air, soil, but also food, can cause serious human diseases. Arsenic (As) is widely used in the modern industry, especially in the production of pesticides, herbicides, wood preservatives, and semiconductors.

Arsenic antidote