Tetrasil

From RationalWiki
(Difference between revisions)
Jump to: navigation, search
m
m (What is it?)
Line 3: Line 3:
  
 
==What is it?==
 
==What is it?==
Tetrasil is tetrasilver tetroxide (TST, trade name Silver (II) Oxide).<ref name=epa>http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/1997/July/Day-09/silver.pdf</ref> Products containing TST are promoted using [[Holistic health|holistic]] buzzwords and [[Naturalistic fallacy|natural-looking]] packaging, but a quick review of some of TST's properties would be enough to make any altie cringe:
+
Tetrasil is tetrasilver tetroxide (TST, trade name Silver (II) Oxide).<ref name=epa>http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/1997/July/Day-09/silver.pdf</ref> Products containing TST are promoted using [[Holistic health|holistic]] buzzwords and [[Naturalistic fallacy|natural-looking]] packaging, but some of TST's properties are enough to make any altie cringe:
 
*TST is a pesticide used to disinfect swimming pool water.<ref name=epa/>
 
*TST is a pesticide used to disinfect swimming pool water.<ref name=epa/>
 
*TST is highly toxic to aquatic species.<ref name=epa/>
 
*TST is highly toxic to aquatic species.<ref name=epa/>

Revision as of 18:57, 1 March 2013

Against allopathy

Alternative medicine

Icon alt med alt.svg
Alternative articles

Tetrasil is a pesticide used to clean swimming pools. It is also promoted in cream and injection form under various brand names (such as Imusil, Genisil, Aviralex, OXi-MED, Beta-mannan, Micronutrient, Qina or SlicPlus)[1] as an alternative treatment for bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, and, by some cranks, as a cure for AIDS[2] and cancer,[3] despite there being no evidence that it is effective for these conditions, or indeed any condition (which is why it's alternative). Some conspiracy theorists allege that that the medical establishment is trying to suppress its use for these diseases. One of them also claims AIDS is man-made.[4]

What is it?

Tetrasil is tetrasilver tetroxide (TST, trade name Silver (II) Oxide).[5] Products containing TST are promoted using holistic buzzwords and natural-looking packaging, but some of TST's properties are enough to make any altie cringe:

  • TST is a pesticide used to disinfect swimming pool water.[5]
  • TST is highly toxic to aquatic species.[5]

Tetrasil creams usually include other things such as jojoba and essential oils. It used to be sold by Aidance Skincare, until the FDA sent them a warning that they were selling an unapproved new drug.[6] Aidance Skincare then removed the TST from their product and renamed it Terrasil, though an "extra-strong" version includes a silver oxide.

Evidence

One page hosted by Rex Research promotes Tetrasil as a cancer treatment and lists a bunch of patents held by a Tetrasil company. Because, you know, if there's a patent for it, it must be good!

This is what part of the site has to say:

In October 1977, the United States patented a "method for curing AIDS', US Patent # 5,676,977.[7] The product is called TETRASIL/IMUSIL and is a one-time injection/infusion that eliminates bacterial pathogens in the blood system of an individual. It is this cheap and effective cure for AIDS that is the subject of my presentation.

As a 29-month recipient of this one time injection, I further submit that we have an effective and cheap remedy for AIDS that is ready now. Our goal in bringing this information to the international community is to serve as aconduit [sic] for the necessary global "double blind" efficacy clinical trials of this U.S. patented CURE for AIDS.

[...]

Recent clinical studies commissioned[8] by Marantech and conducted by Exetec Labs in Honduras, indicate that topically applied Tetrasil can lead to dramatic improvements in such infection-caused skin conditions as acne, cold sores, herpes lesions, conjunctivitis, chickenpox, shingles, dermal tuberculosis and ringworm.[3]

Although there are claimed to be multiple studies, only one can be found, which is only an article, not a study:[8]

Treatment of AIDS From an article, Antiviral Tetrasilver Tetroxide Therapy, by Dr Marvin S Antelman. The full 5-page article is available through Dr Antelman or Compassion Response Network.

AIDS-Non Terminal Patients: "Clinical testing was performed at Exetec Lab, SA in Honduras under the supervision of Dr. L Roland Valenzuela. Thirty patients were selected from three etiological AIDS groups, 10 for each group namely, Candidiasis, Wasting Syndrome and p. carinii pneumonia. Each patient was given an intravenous infusion of Imusil administered over a three hour period. All patients experienced temperature elevation within 48 hours of administering the Imusil, which was indicative that the immune system was now functioning along with the fact that all patients also started to have dramatic increases in their white blood cell counts. At the end of 30 days of observation, all patients were cured of AIDS. All patients presenting Wasting Syndrome were completely cured of the Syndrome; the average patient gaining approximately one half pound per day. Three patients were completely cured of their pneumonia. Because the protocol was changed from direct injection to slow i.v. infusion of the Imusil, there were no side effects of hepatomegaly."

Imusil®, Tetrasil® and Electron-Jumping Compounds® are registered trademarks of Marantech Holding LLC. Protected by several US and international patents, and additional patents pending.

Translation of the two pages: "We have loads of shiny patents that say it's a cancer cure! We haven't done any of those double blind trial thingies, but Tetrasil's definitely a cure. We know it is. Trust us. Actually, we have done some double blind studies. I mean, sure, we haven't even bothered to publish them in any journals (not even altmed ones), and only one of them is available on our site, so you might think we didn't actually conduct them. But we did. Really. They're totally real and not made up. And so what if our description of the study is short and vague? It was actually really very well designed. Really. Also, we have loads of patents that say it's a cure! Did we mention we have patents?"

That page also includes a link to a very badly designed site where you can buy Tetrasil. It says: "This Technical Grade Reagent is for Laboratory Research Only--

NOT For Human Use

Buyer must be adult & assume liability for this item in compliance with laws."[9]

That site may actually be selling it only for research.[10] Or it could be selling Tetrasil for other purposes...

Footnotes

Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Community
Tools
support