FURTHER STUDIES ON THE DETOXICATION OF THE ARSPHENAMINES BY ASCORBIC ACID

¹ From the Research Laboratories, Winthrop Chemical Company, Inc., Rensselaer, New York

A study of the in vitro and in vivo behavior of solutions of arsenicals, with and without ascorbic acid, has been made. Ascorbic acid appears to be capable of retarding oxidation of the arsenicals, particularly as it involves the labile o-aminophenol groups. It is thought that the administration of ascorbic acid with an arsenical decreases the oxidation-reduction potential of blood sufficiently to prevent immediate oxidation of the arsenical. In vivo evidence suggests that the site of the detoxication process is the blood stream, not the tissues such as liver and kidney. It is confirmed that ascorbic acid does not affect the retention of arsenic by liver and kidney.

A method for the analysis of a mixture containing neoarsphenamine, arsenoxide, and ascorbic acid is given. It is based on iodine titrations and physical separation of the neoarsphenamine by means of cetyl pyridinium chloride.