Possible links between sickle cell crisis and pentavalent antimony.

Abstract

For over 60 years, pentavalent antimony (Sb(v)) has been the first-line treatment of leishmaniasis. Sickle cell anemia is a disease caused by a defect in red blood cells, which among other things can cause vasooclusive crisis. We report the case of a 6-year-old child with leishmaniasis who during treatment with meglumine antimoniate developed a sickle cell crisis (SCC). No previous reports describing the relationship between antimonial drugs and sickle cell disease were found. Reviews of both the pathophysiology of SCC and the mechanism of action of Sb(v) revealed that a common pathway (glutathione) may have resulted in the SCC. ChemoText, a novel database created to predict chemical-protein-disease interactions, was used to perform a more expansive and systematic review that was able to support the association between glutathione, Sb(v), and SCC. Although suggestive evidence to support the hypothesis, additional research at the bench would be needed to prove Sb(v) caused the SCC.

• Authors: Daniel Garcerant, Luisa Rubiano, Victor Blanco, Javier Martinez, Nancy C Baker, Noah Craft
• Journal: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene (Am J Trop Med Hyg) Vol. 86 Issue 6 Pg. 1057-61 (Jun 2012) ISSN: 1476-1645 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22665619 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Organometallic Compounds
• Meglumine
• Meglumine Antimoniate
• Antimony
• Glutathione

Topics

• Anemia, Sickle Cell (chemically induced, complications)
• Antimony (adverse effects)
• Child
• Glutathione (metabolism)
• Humans
• Leishmaniasis (complications, drug therapy)
• Male
• Meglumine (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Meglumine Antimoniate
• Organometallic Compounds (adverse effects, therapeutic use)