Iron(II) sulfate (British English: iron(II) sulphate) or ferrous sulfate denotes a range of salts with the formula FeSO4·xH2O. These compounds exist most commonly as the heptahydrate (x = 7) but several values for x are known. The hydrated form is used medically to treat iron deficiency, and also for industrial applications. Known since ancient times as copperas and as green vitriol (vitriol is an archaic name for sulfate), the blue-green heptahydrate (hydrate with 7 molecules of water) is the most common form of this material. All the iron(II) sulfates dissolve in water to give the same aquo complex [Fe(H2O)6]2+, which has octahedral molecular geometry and is paramagnetic. The name copperas dates from times when the copper(II) sulfate was known as blue copperas, and perhaps in analogy, iron(II) and zinc sulfate were known respectively as green and white copperas.It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. In 2019, it was the 103rd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 6 million prescriptions. Uses
Industrially, ferrous sulfate is mainly used as a precursor to other iron compounds. It is a reducing agent, and as such is useful for the reduction of chromate in cement to less toxic Cr(III) compounds. Historically ferrous sulfate was used in the textile industry for centuries as a dye fixative. It is used historically to blacken leather and as a constituent of iron gall ink.
Auranofin is a gold salt classified by the World Health Organization as an antirheumatic agent. It has the brand name Ridaura. Use
Auranofin is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It improves arthritis symptoms including painful or tender and swollen joints and morning stiffness. Auranofin is a safer treatment compared to the more common injectable gold thiolates (gold sodium thiomalate and gold thioglucose), but meta-analysis of 66 clinical trials concluded that it is somewhat less effective.The drug was approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in 1985. No longer a first-line treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, due to its adverse effects, "most of which are associated with long-term use for chronic disease. The most common adverse effects are gastrointestinal complaints such as loose stools, abdominal cramping and watery diarrhea, which can develop in the early months of treatment. The development of loose stools occurs in 40 % of patients, while watery diarrhea is reported in just 2–5 % of patients, and in most cases these symptoms were alleviated by reducing or splitting the dose". Research
HIV infection
Auranofin is under investigation as a means of reducing the viral reservoir of HIV that lies latent in the bodys T-cells despite treatment with antiretroviral therapy. The drug was shown to reduce the amount of latent virus in monkey trials. A human study testing auranofin and other investigational treatments is ongoing in Brazil. Preliminary results show that auranofin contributed to a decrease in the viral reservoir.