Arsenic
induced oxidative stress and the role of antioxidant supplementation during chelation: A review
S.J.S.
Flora*1, Smrati Bhadauria1,
G.M. Kannan1 and Nutan
Singh2
1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Defence
Research and Development Establishment,
Jhansi Road, Gwalior- 474 002, India
2Department of Home Science, Baba Sahab
Bhim Rao Ambedkar Bihar
University,
Muzaffarpur-842
001, India
(Received:
June 28, 2005; Revised received: July 25, 2006; Accepted: September 20, 2006)
Abstract: Arsenic is a naturally occurring
metalloid, ubiquitously present in the environment in both organic and
inorganic forms. Arsenic contamination of groundwater in the West Bengal basin
in India
is unfolding as one of the worst natural geoenvironmental
disaster to date. Chronic exposure of humans to high concentration of arsenic
in drinking water is associated with skin lesions, peripheral vascular disease,
hypertension, Blackfoot disease and high risk of cancer. The underlying
mechanism of toxicity includes the interaction with the sulphydryl
groups and the generation of reactive oxygen species leading to oxidative
stress. Chelation therapy with chelating agents like
British Anti Lewisite (BAL), sodium 2,3- dimercaptopropane 1-sulfonate (DMPS), meso
2,3 dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) etc., is
considered to be the best known treatment against arsenic poisoning. The
treatment with these chelating agents however is compromised with certain serious
drawbacks/ side effects. The studies show that supplementation of antioxidants
along with a chelating agent prove to be a better treatment regimen. This
review attempts to provide the readers with a comprehensive account of recent
developments in the research on arsenic poisoning particularly the role of
oxidative stress/ free radicals in the toxic manifestation, an update about the
recent strategies for the treatment with chelating
agents and a possible beneficial role of antioxidants supplementation to
achieve the optimum effects.
Key words: Arsenic poisoning, Oxidative stress, Chelation therapy, Antioxidants
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