Toxic effects antimony

The corrosion of antimony electrodes was also measured using ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) for dissolved antimony in vivo [156], After the electrodes were inserted in the plasma, the antimony concentration showed a linear rise with time at a rate approximately of 94 j,g/L/h (r2 = 0.997). Although the projected antimony concentration is lower than the safe limit, accumulation of dissolved antimony and localized toxic effects in tissue may prevent the antimony electrode from long-term implantable applications. 

SAFETY PROFILE Poison by subcutaneous, intravenous, and intraperitoneal routes. Human toxic effects by intravenous route. Human mutadon data reported. See also ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS. When heated to decomposidon it emits toxic fumes of Sb. 

So far nickel has been most successfully controlled by addition of an antimony additive in a process developed by Phil%s Petroleum in the late 1970 s (6). This technology remains a practiced method for nickel control particularly in low to moderate levels, however in recent years the concern over the toxicity of antimony to the environment has reemphasised the need for effective yet benign nickel pas ators. 

Stibocaptate is a trivalent antimony compound, whose toxic effects, especially its acute adverse effects, are similar to those of the pentavalent compounds. 

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]. 

The fivevalent antimonials per se do not exert toxic effects on leishmania and trypanosomes. After entering the human body, the fivevalent antimonials are reduced to the threevalent form [42]. This threevalent form reacts with the sulphhy-dryl groups of the enzymes/proteins essential for parasites and inactivate them [34,43]. 

Because of the possible toxic effects of antimony and halogen containing fire retardant polymers in the event of an electrical fire, efforts are now being made to produce fire retardant plastics for the electrical industry, which do not contain these types of fire retardants. 

Apart fitom chamomile no other cosmetics have been used for so long as these two antimony pigments, even though the toxic effects could not be ignored. The visceral residues of ancient Egyptian women contain considerably higher antimony levels than those of men [2]. This is unequivocal evidence that women had to suffer to be beautiful even in ancient times. 

The first textbook of industrial medicine [18] described the irritating to corrosive action of Sb derivatives, primarily the halogen compounds, on the skin and connective tissue (boils, comeal clouding, excoriation). Inhalation of antimony increases its toxic effect [19]. 

Antimony compounds have been used to treat leishmaniasis ever since tartar emetic (antimony potassium tartrate) was discovered early in the 20th century to have efficacy against the mucocutaneous form of the disease. The cutaneous form has been treated with tartar emetic formulated in an ointment. Many side effects have been seen with this trivalent antimonial, some of which can be ascribed to the difficulty of obtaining pure antimony for its manufacture. These side effects include toxicity to the heart, Hver, and kidneys. Other promising trivalent antimonials have been abandoned in favor of pentavalent antimonials with lower toxicity. 

Pentavalent antimonial drugs have been the cornerstone of antileishmanial therapy for more than 70 years, in spite of their general toxicity causing a wide range of side effects [2]. Pentavalent antimonial drugs have to be administered parenterally, which is a painful procedure. Meanwhile, resistance is widespread. In India,... 

Antimony tribromide and other group VA halides minimize the corrosion rate effectively [1799]. Unfortunately, antimony tribromide is toxic. 

Hence, it is apparent that certain inorganic tin compounds are very effective flame retardants and smoke suppressants for halogenated polymer formulations. Since these additives are generally non-toxic, their potential use as partial or total replacements for existing commercial flame retardants, such as antimony trioxide, is thought to merit serious consideration. 

Halogenated derivates brominated organic compounds are the most used, often in combination with antimony trioxide to develop a synergistic effect. However, this generates a lot of smoke and toxic fumes, which is unacceptable for many regulations and standards. 

A number of objections have been raised to the use of the term. In the first place, the list of so-called heavy metals usually includes some elements that are not even metals, such as the semimetals arsenic and antimony. Also, some of the "heavy metals" are not really very "heavy" by almost any standard. Beryllium, for example, has an atomic mass of about 9, and aluminum, an atomic mass of about 27. Yet both are often classified as "heavy metals." For these reasons, some authorities now prefer the term toxic metals to the more traditional term heavy metals. Either term can refer to elements in both their free and combined states. The table on pages 120-121 provides an overview of the sources and health effects of some heavy metals,... 

No pentavalent antimonial is licensed for use, but sodium stibogluconate is available from the Parasitic Disease Drug Service of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for treatment of leishmaniasis. While the pentavalent antimony compounds can be given intravenously or intramuscularly, local infiltration of the lesion in cutaneous leishmaniasis is highly effective. Because of the lower toxicity of liposomal amphotericin B, this drug is considered a first-line choice for vis-cerotropic leishmaniasis rather than the antimonials. 

A. Liposomal amphotericin B was approved by the US. Food and Drug Administration to treat visceral leishmaniasis. Pentavalent antimony compounds, pentamidine, amphotericin B, and aminosi-dine (paromomycin) have all been demonstrated efficacious here. The liposomal amphotericin appears to be better taken up by the reticuloendothelial system, where the parasite resides, and partitions less in the kidney, where amphotericin B traditionally manifests its toxicity. In addition to being better tolerated by patients, it has proved to be very effective in India, where resistance to antimony drugs is widespread. This patient appears to have acquired his infection there, where many infected patients develop darkening of the skin, hence the name kala-azar, or black sickness. Albendazole, an anthelmintic, has no role here. Atovaquone, a naphthoquinone, is used to treat malaria, babesiosis, and pneumocystosis. Pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine is used to treat malaria and toxoplasmosis. Proguanil inhibits the dihydrofolate reductase of malaria parasites and is used in combination with atovaquone. 

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