Arsenic-safe drinking water and antioxidants for the management of arsenicosis patients

• Main Author: Salamat Khandker, Ranjit Kumar Dey, AZM Maidul Islam, Sheikh Akhtar Ahmad and Ifthaker-Al-Mahmud
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bangladesh Pharmacological Society 2006-12-01
• Series: Bangladesh Journal of Pharmacology
• Subjects: antioxidant; arsenic; arsenicosis; drinking water
• Online Access: http://www.bdjpharmacol.com/journalbdps0102/2006010242.pdf
• ISSN: 1991-007X; 1991-0088

The role of arsenic-safe drinking water and antioxidants in the management of arsenicosis patients were observed. Two hundred and fifty patients of arsenicosis from an arsenic-affected area of Bangladesh were included and divided into five groups based on the source of drinking water (green- or red-marked tube well) and intake of antioxidants (vitamin A, C and E). Melanosis improved in 43 patients of the group who took arsenic-safe drinking water from green-marked tube well and antioxidants regularly. Patients of the group who took green-marked tube well water regularly but not the antioxidant showed improvement in melanosis in 22 cases. The respondents who were using red-marked tube well water and antioxidants, only two of them improved; and all other respondents either deteriorated or did not improve. The respondents who were using red-marked tube well water but not the antioxidant, none did show any improvement of their illness. The respondents who took antioxidants irregularly and had irregular intake of safe water, were not considered to compare the prognosis of skin lesions. Regarding keratosis, the respondents who took green-marked tube well water regularly and antioxidant regularly, 8 of them improved, 1 case didn’t change; while the respondents who took green-marked tube well water regularly but not the antioxidant, 8 cases didn’t improve much but majority of them remain unchanged. Among the respondents of other groups, keratosis deteriorated. This study suggests that both arsenic-safe drinking water and use of antioxidants gave good result in improvement of the arsenicosis.