Arsphenamine

Arsphenamine, also known as Salvarsan or compound 606, is a drug. It was introduced at the beginning of the 1910s. It was the first effective treatment for syphilis and African trypanosomiasis. This organoarsenic compound was the first modern antimicrobial {antibiotic} agent.

Arsphenamine was first synthesized in 1907 in Paul Ehrlich's lab by Alfred Bertheim.[1]

The antisyphilitic activity of this compound was discovered by Sahachiro Hata in 1909. He surveyed hundreds of newly synthesized organic arsenical compounds. Ehrlich thought that by screening many compounds, a drug could be discovered which would have anti-microbial activity but not kill the patient.

Ehrlich's laboratory developed a more soluble (but slightly less effective) arsenical compound, Neosalvarsan (neoarsphenamine), which was easier to prepare.

  • Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet, 1940 movie about Ehrlich's quest to find a cure for syphilis.

References
  1. Williams K.J. 2009 (2009). "The introduction of 'chemotherapy' using arsphenamine - the first magic bullet". J R Soc Med. 102 (8): 343–8. doi:10.1258/jrsm.2009.09k036. PMC 2726818. PMID 19679737.
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