Gastrointestinal tract thallium

The relative toxicities of thallium compounds depend on their solubHities and valence states. Soluble univalent thallium compounds, eg, thaHous sulfate, acetate, and carbonate, are especiaHy toxic. They are rapidly and completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, skin peritoneal cavity, and sites of subcutaneous and intramuscular injection. Tb allium is also rapidly absorbed from the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, mouth, and lungs foHowing inhalation of soluble thallium salts. Insoluble compounds, eg, thaHous sulfide and iodide, are poorly absorbed by any route and are less toxic. 

Toxicology. Thallium is one of the most toxic of the heavy metals it primarily affects the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract and causes hair loss. 

Both T1(I) and T1(III) salts are readily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and the skin. Excretion is slow with a half-life of nearly one month. ThaUinm concentrates in the brain and testes. The lethal dose is less than 1 g of a thallium compound in a single ingestion. Thallotoxicosis involves the nervous system, skin, hair loss, and the cardiovascular system. T1+ can substitute for the similarly sized K+ (Table 2 and Figure 2) and interfere in K+-dependent processes (Figure 2). Recovery from thallotoxicosis takes months and may be incomplete as nervous system damage may be irreversible. Thallium may be the most toxic nonradioactive metal. 

Elimination of Tl is mainly through the gastrointestinal tract but elimination also occurs through the kidneys, saliva, hair, skin, sweat, and breast milk. Relative amounts excreted by each route vary by species. Thallium is likely excreted through intestinal and gastric secretions associated with potassium loss or excretion. Likewise, reabsorption of Tl also occurs, mainly from the colon. The estimated biological half-life of Tl is 10 days but values up to 1 month have been reported (WHO, 1996). 

The competitive replacement Tl /K creates an interesting toxicokinetic factor in terms of thallium elimination, namely direct active excretion into the intestinal lumen. In contrast to other toxic heavy metals, fecal elimination of thallium is the predominant route of excretion. In addition to thallium possibly binding in the gastrointestinal tract in cases of acute intoxication (cf. Section 22.6.2), reabsorption may occur by the enterohepatic and enterosystemic circulations, thereby prolonging the biological half-life. In fact, half-lives of between 3 and... 

Thallium, a cumulative poison, is readily absorbed through skin and lungs, as well as the gastrointestinal tract. This element (usually as the sulfate salt) was used for its depilatory effect in the treatment of ringworm of the scalp. It is currently not found in any medications, but is still available in the United States in rodent poisons, and accidental poisoning may occur from contaminated grains and other foods. 

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