Anaemia lead poisoning

Hydroxymethyl-6-methyluracil (1043) was prepared many years ago from 6-methyl-uracil and formaldehyde, or in other ways. Since 1956 it has received much attention in the USSR under the (transliterated) name pentoxyl or pentoxil. It is used in several anaemic and disease conditions. For example, a mixture of folic acid and pentoxyl quickly reduces the anaemia resulting from lead poisoning pentoxyl stimulates the supply of serum protein after massive blood loss it stimulates wound healing it stimulates the immune response in typhus infection and it potentiates the action of sulfonamides in pneumococcus infections (70MI21300). 

Sideroblastic defect (abnormal production of red blood cells), for example hereditary sideroblastic anaemia, acquired sideroblastic anaemia, including lead poisoning, and reversible sideroblastic anaemia. 

Considerable interest continues in the photochemistry and photophysics of metalloporphyrins and related species containing zinc and other metals. Details will be found in Part II. The biosynthesis of haem can be partially diverted to produce a zinc protoporphyrin in iron-deficiency anaemia and lead poisoning measurement of fluorescence emission from this species has been recommended... 

Simpson, J. A., Seaton, D. A. and Adams, J. F. (1964). Response to treatment with chelating agents of anaemia, chronic encephalopathy, and myelopathy due to lead poisoning. J, Neurol, Neurosurg, Psychiatr, 27, 536 Singhal, R. L. and Thomas, J. A. (eds.). (1980). Lead Toxicity, (Baltimore Urban and Schwarzenberg)... 

Lead poisoning can result from the use of lead drinking utensils and water pipes, or in children, it can occur as a result of eating lead paint. The symptoms of lead poisoning include intestinal cholic, neuropathy, encephalopathy and anaemia. It can be treated with chelating agents such as penicillamine and EDTA. 

Lead interferes with the normal formation of haemoglobin, causing anaemia, but the diagnosis of excessive absorption should be made before anaemia appears. The same interfering mechanism causes abnormal products to appear in the urine, e.g. amino laevulinic acid (ALA) and coproporphyrin. These products are useful indicators of excessive lead absorption or poisoning. 

Lead inhibits the synthesis of porphyrins, so that in chronic poisoning the amount of haemoglobin in erythrocytes decreases and anaemia develops. Lead is an inhibitor of two enzymes essential for the synthesis of haem, 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and ferrochelatase. Aminolevulinic acid dehydratase catalyses condensation of two molecules of 5-aminolevulinic acid to form... 

For decades, obsolete explosives and munitions have been either buried in the ground or dumped at sea. This can be a significant environmental problem because many explosives are toxic (e.g. TNT poisoning can lead to aplastic anaemia or toxic jaundice). There is therefore a need for on-site detection and identification of traces of explosives in areas suspected of such contamination. 

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