Antimony therapeutic value

The historical development of organo-arsenicals, -antimonials and -phosphates has been dealt in Chapter 4. This chapter will be confined to a discussion of their therapeutic value in the management of protozoal infections organometallic drugs continue to be used/ though to a limited extent in the treatment of leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis. 

In 1912, however, (201) it was discovered that espundia (American mucocutaneous leishmaniasis) can be cured by tartar emetic. It was soon learned that kala-a2ar (visceral leishmaniasis) and oriental sore (a cutaneous form of the disease occurring in the Middle East) also respond to antimonial therapy, especially when compounds of pentavalent antimony are employed. Treatment of leishmaniasis with the latter type of antimonials is safe and effective in over 90% of the cases (202). In 1918, it was demonstrated that tartar emetic is of value in the treatment of schistosomiasis (203). Pentavalent antimonials proved to be less effective. The introduction of antimony compounds for the treatment of parasitic diseases is undoubtedly one of the important milestones in the history of therapeutics (see Antiparasitic agents). 

Since 1960, it has been demonstrated by various analytical procedures that high concentrations of arsenic were present in Napoleon s hair.88 Multi-element analysis of two specimens of Napoleon s hair by ICP-MS after mineralization in concentrated nitric acid resulted in arsenic concentrations (42.1 and 37.4(xgg-1) about 40 times higher than normal values, confirming the hypothesis of a significant exposure to arsenic. However, mercury (3.3. and 4.7(xgg 1), antimony (2.1 and 1.8(xgg 1) and lead (229 and 112p,gg-1) were also detected at elevated levels. The elevated concentrations of Sb and Hg are in agreement with the data already known about the therapeutic treatments given to Napoleon (calomel and tartar emetic are compounds of mercury and antimony, respectively).88... 

Like arsenic salts, the history of antimony compounds as therapeutic agents dates back to medieval age when Paracelus (1493-1541) recommended metallic antimony and its salts as a cure for many diseases. Although the above panacea made Paracelsus the father of iatrochemistry, the therapy was later rejected by patients due to toxic effects [1,9]. The interest in antimony compounds revived during 1918-1920 when the medicinal value of tartar emetic (10), a mordant prepared in 1847 by boiling antimony trioxide and cream of tartar in water [14], was established by Christopherson [15] and Rogers [16]. 

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