title: Arsenic toxicity from homeopathic treatment.
abstract: Homeopathic medicine is commonly believed to be relatively harmless. However, treatment with improperly used homeopathic preparations may be dangerous.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case 1 presented with melanosis and keratosis following short-term use of Arsenic Bromide 1-X followed by long-term use of other arsenic-containing homeopathic preparations. Case 2 developed melanotic arsenical skin lesions after taking Arsenicum Sulfuratum Flavum-1-X (Arsenic S.F. 1-X) in an effort to treat his white skin patches. Case 3 consumed Arsenic Bromide 1-X for 6 days in an effort to treat his diabetes and developed an acute gastrointestinal illness followed by leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and diffuse dermal melanosis with patchy desquamation. Within approximately 2 weeks, he developed a toxic polyneuropathy resulting in quadriparesis. Arsenic concentrations in all three patients were significantly elevated in integument tissue samples. In all three cases, arsenic concentrations in drinking water were normal but arsenic concentrations in samples of the homeopathic medications were elevated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arsenic used therapeutically in homeopathic medicines can cause clinical toxicity if the medications are improperly used.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. dcsoesju@vsnl.com
authors.forename: Dipankar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chakraborti
authors.forename: Subhash Chandra
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Khitish Chandra
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Uttam Kumar
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Mohammad Mahmudur
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Mrinal Kumar
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sengupta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001151:Arsenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000652:urine; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D007642:Keratosis / Q000209:etiology; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000737:chemistry / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008548:Melanosis / Q000209:etiology; D009262:Nails / Q000737:chemistry; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008419:Materia Medica; D001151:Arsenic