Abstract
Two alkyl resorcinols have recently been discussed in relation to the treatment of certain parasitic infestations: Lamson et al 1 suggesting hexylresorcinol in ascariasis and uncinariasis, and Faust 2 and Ratcliffe 3 proposing heptylresorcinol (“di-hydranol”) particularly in amebiasis. We believe that clinical trial of new drugs in man may proceed with greater satisfaction than otherwise, if it is made after a critical study of the toxicity of such agents in various genera of mammals for the purpose of reaching an approximate quantitative estimate of the toxic range of the materials, and of determining what pathological effects for which it may be expedient to watch when used clinically and against which to guard. The data presented by Leonard and his associates, 4 while indicating that the toxicity of these drugs is “clinically negligible,” do not seem to have been derived from a critical quantitative study. There is, however, a more significant reason from theoretical grounds for investigating quantitatively the toxicity of the alkyl resorcinols; in many series of related compounds containing alkyl radicals, it has been observed that toxicity in the series increases with increase in the number of carbon atoms in the straight carbon chain, and it is desirable to ascertain to what extent these observations may be expanded into a “law” relating chemical constitution to pharmacological action.
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