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A Pilot Study on the Urinary Excretion of Porphyrins in Human Populations Chronically Exposed to Arsenic in Mexico

Departamento de Farmacologia y Toxicologia. CINVESTAV-IPN, P.O. Box 14-740, México, D.F. 07000, México

Adalberto García-Rangel

Departamento de Farmacologia y Toxicologia. CINVESTAV-IPN, P.O. Box 14-740, México, D.F. 07000, México

Manuel Aguilar-Romo

Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Morelos 900 Ote., Torreón, Coahuila, 27000, México

Javier García-Salcedo

Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Morelos 900 Ote., Torreón, Coahuila, 27000, México

Luz Maria del Razo

Departamento de Farmacologia y Toxicologia. CINVESTAV-IPN, P.O. Box 14-740, México, D.F. 07000, México

Patricia Ostrosky-Wegman

Instituto de Investigaciones Biomèdicas, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F. 04510, México

Cristina Cortinas de Nava

Instituto de Investigaciones Biomèdicas, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F. 04510, México

Mariano E. Cebrián

Departamento de Farmacologia y Toxicologia. CINVESTAV-IPN, P.O. Box 14-740, México, D.F. 07000, México

1 The aim of this pilot study was to investigate if the porphyrinuria produced by arsenic in rodents was present in humans chronically exposed to arsenic via drinking water.

2 The concentrations of uroporphyrin, coproporphyrin and total arsenic in urine were compared between 21 individuals exposed to arsenic in their drinking water (0.390 mg 1-1) and 19 controls exposed to 0.012 mg 1-1.

3 Arsenic-exposed individuals had significantly higher total arsenic concentrations in their urine than the control group. No increase in urinary porphyrin excretion was found in exposed individuals. However, an inversion of the coproporphyrin/uroporphyrin (COPRO/ URO) ratio was observed in most exposed individuals. This inversion was caused both, by a decrease in coproporphyrin excretion and an increase in uroporphyrin excretion.

4 No demonstrable correlations between porphyrin excretion, the COPRO/URO ratio and total arsenic concentration in urine were found in exposed individuals.

Human & Experimental Toxicology, Vol. 10, No. 3, 189-193 (1991)
DOI: 10.1177/096032719101000307


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