A Clinical Trial of Cysteinamine (Beta-Mercaptoethylamine) in Radiation Sickness

Abstract

Several reports have appeared in the literature claiming that cysteinamine (β-mercaptoethylamine) has both a favourable protective action on mice exposed to whole body X irradiation and a beneficial therapeutic action on patients who have developed radiation sickness during X-ray therapy (Bacq and Herve, 1952; Herve, 1952; Bacq, Herve, Fischer, Lecomte, Pivotte, Deschamps, Le Bihan and Rayet, 1953; Bacq, Deschamps, Fischer, Herve, Le Bihan, Lecomte, Pivotte and Rayet, 1953; Bacq, 1953; Bacq, 1954). The object of this communication is to present the results of attempts to modify the time of development of radiation sickness following exposure to a single dose of X rays, by the administration of cysteinamine before and after irradiation.