View clinical trials related to Arsenic Poisoning.
Filter by:To understand the pathogenesis of chronic arsenic toxicity, the investigators need to know the levels of vitamin E in patients chronically exposed to high concentration of arsenic and if changes are found, what happens when supplemented with vitamin E. The buccal cells and serum of patients will be collected for the estimation of vitamin E both before and after supplementation with vitamin E. Similar samples will be collected from similar number of arsenic exposed controls and healthy volunteers for comparison.
The role of anaerobic bacteria in the pathogenesis of palmer arsenical keratosis is not known. This can be evaluated by administering probiotics. Thirty patients from an arsenic affected area will be provided two probiotics capsules per day orally for 12 weeks and stool samples will be collected for qualitative and quantitative analysis of anaerobic bacteria. Similar number of arsenic exposed controls and healthy volunteers from the same area will be included with similar protocol for comparison. Like aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria may be modulated by probiotics in arsenicosis patients.
Context: Approximately 100 million people throughout the world consume water contaminated with arsenic at levels above carcinogenic thresholds, including 40 million in Bangladesh alone, with up to one-fourth of deaths attributed to arsenic exposure in the worst-affected regions. There are no proven therapies for treating chronic arsenic toxicity or for preventing arsenical cancers. Selenium has been known to counter arsenic toxicity in a variety of animal models. The investigators have recently shown in animals and humans that this effect is mediated by the formation of [(GS)2AsSe]- , the seleno-bis(S-glutathionyl) arsinium ion, which is then rapidly excreted via the hepatobiliary system. Concurrently, two Phase II studies in China and Bangladesh have suggested clinical benefit to selenium supplementation in arsenicosis patients. Objective: To assess whether daily selenium supplementation counters arsenic toxicity in patients exposed to drinking water arsenic. If proven effective, selenium supplementation might be safely and cost-effectively implemented in the worst-affected localities.