Thiocyanate Therapy of Hypertension.: Further Experiences.

THIOCYANATE: A potentially useful therapeutic agent with host defense and antioxidant properties

“…Oral administration of SCN produces nearly 100% absorption in healthy subjects [28]. Doses of SCN (as a potassium salt) were generally given orally between 400 and 1000 mg per day and therapy could last from weeks to several years [60,64]. SCN levels were recommended to be maintained between 1400 and 2000 μM to sustain therapy and avoid toxicity.…”

“…Symptoms of SCN toxicity tended to be related to the nervous system [62,66], the thyroid (although goiters appeared only infrequently [60,67]), the kidneys [62,66], and the skin [64] in patients at or above 1 mM SCN in the plasma [60]. Patients experiencing nervous symptoms presented a number of psychoses and motor-impairments including clonic contractions, aphasia, difficulty walking or standing, zoopsia, confusion, tremors, and anxiety [62,64,66], which were often worsened by pre-existing brain damage and the co-administration of bromide sedatives which produced similar psychotic effects [62,66].…”

“…Patients experiencing nervous symptoms presented a number of psychoses and motor-impairments including clonic contractions, aphasia, difficulty walking or standing, zoopsia, confusion, tremors, and anxiety [62,64,66], which were often worsened by pre-existing brain damage and the co-administration of bromide sedatives which produced similar psychotic effects [62,66]. In many cases these nervous symptoms could be reversed [64,66], but in severe cases of toxicity they often persisted [66]. Symptoms of hypothyroidism were less common than may be expected with the contemporary knowledge that SCN competes with I − for the NIS [3], perhaps owing to high dietary I − [67].…”

“…Symptoms of hypothyroidism were less common than may be expected with the contemporary knowledge that SCN competes with I − for the NIS [3], perhaps owing to high dietary I − [67]. Skin rash and pustules were also occasionally reported, occurring on the back and elbow and subsiding with the cessation of treatment [64]. In general, these symptoms were more likely to occur or to be more severe if there were pre-existing conditions such as nervous disorders or renal impairment, but high levels of plasma SCN, especially if left unchecked at length, presented marked toxicity even in patients without these conditions.…”