L. Phillips, M. Singer
Feb 19, 2013
Citations
0
Influential Citations
12
Citations
Journal
Neurology
Abstract
The benzene-based compound 2,4-dinitrophenol was developed in the late 19th century, and was used during World War I for manufacture of explosives.1 A number of cases of dinitrophenol poisoning were noted in French munitions plant workers. Acute intoxication caused hyperpyrexia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; symptoms of subacute exposure included weight loss. Several workers died.1 The weight-loss observation led to widespread clinical use in the United States in the 1930s as an anti-obesity drug, until reports of adverse effects prompted withdrawal from the consumer market in 1938 under pressure from the Food and Drug Administration. Dinitrophenol has continued to be available for industrial uses, including production of dyes, wood preservatives, and pesticides.