The Duality of Arsenic Metabolism: Impact on Human Health

Arsenic is a naturally occurring hazardous element that is environmentally ubiquitous in various chemical forms. Upon exposure, the human body initiates an elimination pathway of progressive methylation into relatively less bioreactive and more easily excretable pentavalent methylated forms. Given its association with decreasing the internal burden of arsenic with ensuing attenuation of its related toxicities, biomethylation has been applauded for decades as a pure route of arsenic detoxification. However, the emergence of detectable trivalent species with profound toxicity has opened a long-standing debate regarding whether arsenic methylation is a detoxifying or bioactivating mechanism. In this review, we approach the topic of arsenic metabolism from both perspectives to create a complete picture of its potential role in the mitigation or aggravation of various arsenic-related pathologies.

Automated summary

Arsenic, a naturally occurring hazardous element, is widely distributed in various chemical forms. Biomethylation, a pathway in which arsenic is progressively methylated, has been considered as a detoxification mechanism. However, the emergence of toxic trivalent species has raised debate about whether arsenic methylation is a detoxifying or bioactivating mechanism. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of arsenic metabolism in relation to various arsenic-related pathologies.