Toxicity, sources, mechanism, health effects and production of free radicals by arsenic and lead – A review

Arsenic and lead are found naturally in the earth crust and are widely distributed in the territory. All humans are vulnerable to low levels of these elements; but, above-average levels of exposure to these heavy metals are related to the smelting of copper. Combined chronic lead and arsenic poisoning were diagnosed in a 33-year-old Korean woman following consumption of a Korean herbal medicine prescribed for hemorrhoids. The patient had malaise, severe difficulty walking, arthralgia, edema, and abdominal pain with diarrhea. Investigation showed anemia along with basophilic stippling, fragmentation, and an elevated reticulocyte count. Arsenic and lead exposure to biological systems may lead to oxidation stress which may cause DNA damage, protein modification, lipid peroxidation, and others. In this survey, the vital procedure related to the toxicities of these individual heavy metals was the production of reactive oxygen species. This review provides a complete account of recent updates of arsenic and lead exposure, sources, effects, relevant biomarkers, and mechanism involved in heavy metal toxicity.