Frowzy Indulgences

biomedicalephemera:

• The Drug: ARSPHENAMINE aka SALVARSAN or 606
• The Use: Syphilis and trypanosomiasis 
• The Invention: 1909, Germany, in the lab of Paul Erlich, by Sachahiro Hata 
• Notable: First synthetic organic agent to work as a chemotheraputic (chemical cure for a symptom or disease)
• Pros: Significant improvement in efficacy over the inorganic mercury that was previously used. Relatively inexpensive. Represented the promise of “modern medicine” and the ability to create synthetic drugs to treat diseases. Established the standard for modern pharmacology: large-scale systemic chemical modifications, with in vitro, animal, and in vivo tests to prove efficacy.


• Cons: Extremely hygroscopic powder in first formulation, difficult to administer. Was synthesized arsenic, so arsenic-based side-effects cropped up. Not effective against spirochetes until it has been converted to active form by the body. Not very effective against late-stage syphilis (still more effective than mercury).

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