Arsenic Salvarsan

Although the element is a metalloid, the long, brittle, crystals have a metallic shine. The white, tasteless oxide (arsenic trioxide As203) has been famous and notorious ("inheritance powder") even after centuries traces can be found in bodies. The arsenic compound "Salvarsan" was first used by Paul Ehrlich for the treatment of syphilis — the start of chemotherapy. Popular today as a semiconducting material. Component of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and lasers. Arsenic hardens lead, used earlier in letter-press printing, today only for lead shot. 

Another organic compound of arsenic that is of historical significance was discovered in 1901 by P. Ehrlich. That compound is known as arsphenamine or Salvarsan, which has the structure... 

Paul Ehrlich s "magic bullet" for syphilis (arsphenamine, Salvarsan) was an arsenical. 

Earlier in this century the toxicity of arsenic was utilized in medicine and, later, in warfare. In 1909 Ehrlich developed salvarsan, the first effective antisyphilis agent and one of the first... 

In 1910, Ehrlich made a historic discovery while investigating one of these arsenicals, the antisyphilitic drug arsphenamine. This particular drug, with the laboratory code designation 606, was so effective in laboratory tests that it was announced as a cure for the dreaded disease and was referred to as a magic bullet . Although the marketed form of the chemical, Salvarsan, ultimately proved to be too toxic for human use, arsphenamine was the opening event in the chemotherapeutic revolution for the treatment of human infections. 

The toxicity of arsenic has been put into practical use in medicine. Ehrlich in 1909 developed Salvarsan, the trade name for arsphenamine (1), which was the first modem chemotherapeutic agent effective in the treatment of syphilis, which was eventually phased out by better organoarsenicals and latter by penicillin. Some specialist arsenical dmgs are still the treatment of choice for amoebic infections like glycobiarsol (2). ... 

Arsenic was, without doubt, important in the successful treatment of S5q>hilis. The drug Salvarsan (arsphenamine) was discovered by Paul Erhlich during a systematic study of arsenic compounds for a potential cure for syphilis. Salvarsan is a synthetic organic chemical that contains arsenic he had tried more than 600 chemicals when he happened on this one. His quest was based on the behef that he could find a substance that was selectively toxic to the organism that causes syphilis (a spirochaete) but less toxic to the patient, a magic bullet . Only recently, arsenic trioxide (the form of arsenic commonly used for homicide) was licensed by the... 

Like mercury, arsenic is a double-edged sword which also illustrates the Paracelsus principle. Salvarsan was an effective treatment for S5rphilis, and it seems that arsenic trioxide is currently useful in the treatment of certain forms of leukaemia. Fowler s solution could have been effective in the treatment of fevers, although probably not for all the ailments for which it was recommended (see above). But for most people, the word arsenic is synonymous with poison. 

AgCl.XH2(0H).CeH3Cl.As=]2-f2HN03. (3) That Silver Salvarsan contains silver oxide in complex form. (4) That if tire complex is formed by the residual affinities of the arsenic atoms, the latter would tend to pass into the quinquevalent state, which would destroy the therapeutic power of the compound. (5) The capacity for forming complex salts is weU established in the case of the amino-group. 

This arsenical is obtained by the Schotteii-Baumann reaction from benzene- n-disuIphonic chloride and Salvarsan. It is a yellow or yellowish-grey powder, yielding a yellowish-brown solution in sodium carbonate, but is insoluble in water. Addition of sodium chloride or alcohol to its aqueous solution precipitates the sodium salt, which has a neutral reaction in water and may be kept imchanged for several days if air is excluded. ... 

Paul Ehrlich (1845-1915), German scientist who pioneered the scientific approach to drug discovery. The 606 organic arsenical that he tested against spirochaetes (in animals) became a successful medicine (Salvarsan 1910) it and a minor variant were used against syphillis until superseded by penicillin in 1945. 

Paul Ehrlich, the father of immunology and chemotherapy, discovered Salvarsan, an arsenical magic bullet (a favorite phrase of his) used to treat syphilis. He hypothesized at the beginning of this century that it might be possible to find a dye that would selectively stain, or dye, a bacterial cell and thus destroy it. In 19321.G. Farbenindustrie patented a new azo dye, Prontosil, which they put through routine testing for chemotherapeutic activity when it was noted it had particular affinity for protein fibers like silk. 

Ehrlich begins development of Salvarsan. Over the next several years his work in this area lays the foundation of chemotherapy and greatly extends the known chemistry of organo compounds of arsenic, antimony, and bismuth. 

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