Active clinical trials for "Arsenic Poisoning"

Develop and evaluate the effectiveness of multi-level participatory interventions in reducing arsenic exposure among American Indian (AI) communities from North and South Dakota who participated in the Strong Heart Study (SHS).

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.

Twenty patients of mild to moderate degree of arsenical palmer keratosis will be treated with garlic oil capsule orally for 12 weeks to examine its effectiveness in reducing body arsenic load and clinical symptoms. Similar treatment with similar number of arsenic exposed controls and healthy volunteers will be included for comparison.

This study will be conducted to observe any change in aerobic bacterial pattern on the skin of arsenicosis patients before and after administration of vitamin E (200 IU) capsules.

Cock's comb extract is rich in hyaluronic acid, which is used as viscosupplementation injection and oral supplementation for osteoarthritis. Hyaluronic acid acts as humectants and topical moisturizing agent to the skin due to excellent moisturizing property. It has anti-inflammatory effect and used in the treatment of ulcer healing and to reduce the intensity of radioepithelitis. It is also used as a topical vehicle for the delivery of drug to the skin in actinic keratosis. In the case of arsenical keratotic nodule, topical application of hyaluronic acid may tends to decrease keratosis by repeated hydration of the skin. Therefore, the study will be conducted to determine any beneficial effect of topical application of cock's comb extract in the treatment of the patients with severe palmar arsenical keratosis.

About 45 million people in Bangladesh are chronically exposed to unacceptable levels of arsenic in their drinking water. Chronic arsenic poisoning leads to cancers, and vascular diseases. This dietary trial intends to test the potential of high-selenium lentils, consumed as lentil soup, in reducing the arsenic body burden in an exposed Bangladeshi population, and in improving the overall health status. Arsenic-exposed families will be assigned to one of two groups. One group will eat lentils (50g/person/day) that are naturally high in selenium, the other group will receive lentils with low selenium content. This 6 months trial is randomized and double-blinded.

This study is designed to find out the effectiveness of combination of ethanol extract of neem leaf, propylene glycol (40%) and salicylic acid (10%) in the treatment of palmar arsenical keratosis.

This study will be conducted to observe any change in fungal pattern on skin of arsenicosis patients before and after administration of iron (150 mg) and folic acid (0.5 mg) tablets.

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.

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.