Herbal medicine as a cause of combined lead and arsenic poisoning.
1. Combined chronic lead and arsenic poisoning was diagnosed in a 33-year-old Korean woman following consumption of a Korean herbal medicine prescribed for haemorrhoids. 2. The patient had malaise, severe difficulty walking, arthralgia, oedema and abdominal pain with diarrhoea. 3. Investigation showed anaemia with basophilic stippling, fragmentation and a raised reticulocyte count. 4. Raised blood and urine lead levels and urine arsenic levels were found. 5. Analysis of the herbal medicine revealed a high lead and arsenic content. 6. Treatment with the newer chelating agent 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid was successful, with no detectable side-effects.
Mitchell-Heggs
C A
CA
West Middlesex University Hospital, Isleworth, UK.
Conway
M
M
Cassar
J
J
D000328:Adult; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000209:etiology*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D004113:Succimer / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004113:Succimer