Abstract
Arsenic poisoning has multiple causes including exposure to pesticides, rodenticides,
paints, pigments, alloys and consumption of water contaminated with arsenic. In India,
traditional home made, herbal remedies are widely consumed to enhance potency and
vitality, and they are often contaminated with toxic ingredients, including arsenic.
We report a case of chronic arsenic poisoning, due to prolonged consumption of such
a homemade vitaliser that contained arsenic as chief ingredient. Our patient presented
with polyneuropathy and cutaneous lesions that recovered significantly with dimercaprol
therapy, despite delayed diagnosis.
Keywords
Arsenic - polyneuropathy - home made-vitaliser - Mees' line - quadriparesis
