Arsenic and Iron in the Finger and Foot Muscle from Blackfoot Disease Patients.

Abstract

Atomic absorption spectrophotometric method, for determination of arsenic and iron concentration in finger and foot muscles from Blackfoot Dim Patients(BFDPs), by amputation were developed. Thirty-four cases of BFDPs, at the most strict clinical examination and thirty cases of Non-BFDPs(NBFDPs) from the traffic accidents. NBFDPs from the same district were compared as the controls. Arsenic has been claimed to be major causative agents of Blackfoot Disease(BFD) in the south-western coast of Taiwan. We published several papers on this and presented a conception that, as with the increase in clinical stages from the zero, first, second, third and fourth, the increase in the arsenic concentration in blood, hair and urine accompanies as the BFD progressed, although at the third and fourth stages, arsenic decrease might be induced by the antagonistic effect of selenium, zinc and iron. For the purpose to prove this, the study was carried out to check whether at the fourth stage, the concentration of arsenic in BFDPs finger and foot muscles by amputation are higher than that of NBFDPs and whether it is also the case with the blood of BFDPs . The arsenic in muscles of finger and foot of BFDPs by amputation was more than 10 times higher than the NBFDPs at the raze of 0.80±0.57 ug/g > 0.07±0.05 pglg and they were also about 8 times higher than the blood of BFDPs at the fourth clinical stages at the rate of 0.80±0.57 pg/g > 0.091±0.052 pg/ml. Both of them had significantly difference with P<0.01. These evidences directly indicated that arsenic might be a major causative agent of BFD. The iron in muscles of finger and foot of BFDPs by amputation were also about 2 times higher than that of NBFDPs at the rate of 39.63±23.54 µg/g > 19.82±7.61 µg/g and had a significance difference with P<0.05. These results were on the contraiy to the blood, when compared with the blood iron concentration in BFDPs at fourth stage and NBFDPs. The NBFDPs were higher than the BFDPs at the rate of 553.28±92.96 µg/ml > 510.71±163.52 pg/ml. Therefore iron may have some antagonistic effect to arsenic toxicity for the BFDPs and this fact is worthy of more academic study of the BFD in clinical application.

Induction of Oxidative Stress by Humic Acid through Increasing Intracellular Iron: A Possible Mechanism Leading to Atherothrombotic Vascular Disorder in Blackfoot Disease

“…Accumulation of iron has been observed in various diseases including neurodegenerative disorder and cardiovascular disease (38 -42). A previous study indicated that the iron concentrations in muscles of finger and foot of patients with blackfoot disease were also about 2 times higher than that of non-blackfoot disease control (43). Pathological study also observed iron accumulation in the vascular wall of patients with blackfoot disease (Wang, unpublished data).…”

Arterial Tissue of Arsenic, Selenium and Iron in Blackfoot Disease Patients

“…Sample pretreatment (19,22) Each 10±2 g of PDAT sample was washed carefully with 100 ml deionized water three times, in order to remove the outer trace elements. The samples were then put on filter paper to remove the deionized water for 10 minutes before digestion; 2±0.2 g (wet weight) of PDAT and 10 ml HNO 3 were added a digestion vessel.…”

“…Analytical methods (19)(20)(21)(22) Atomic absorption spectrophotometer model Z-8200, (Hitachi Corp., Tokyo, Japan) was used. Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer for iron and its accessory Hydride Forma-tion System HFS-2 also from Hitachi were used for determining arsenic and selenium.…”

“…Schwartz et al (12) suggested that inadequate intake of selenium significantly increases the risk of cancer. Wang et al (19)(20)(21)(22) found that selenium concentrations in BFD patients were lower than those in healthy controls. Wang et al (19)(20)(21)(22) found that selenium concentrations in BFD patients were lower than those in healthy controls.…”

“…We compared the average concentrations of arsenic, selenium and iron in plantar digital artery tissue (PDAT) of BFD patients and healthy controls following our previous studies on blood, hair, urine and muscle (19)(20)(21)(22). This paper attempts to clarify the connection between arsenic, selenium and iron.…”