arsenic trioxide

Arsenic trioxide is the inorganic compound with the formula As4O6. As an industrial chemical, its major uses include the manufacture of wood preservatives, pesticides, and glass. For medical purposes, it is sold under the brand name Trisenox among others when used as a medication to treat a type of cancer known as acute promyelocytic leukemia. For this use it is given by injection into a vein.

Arsenic trioxide was approved for medical use in the United States in 2000. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. Approximately 50,000 tonnes were produced in 1991. Due to its toxicity, a number of countries have regulations around its manufacture and sale.