The first pentavalent antimonial, urea stibamine, was synthesised by the Indian scientist Upendranath Brahmachari in 1922.
Though it caused a dramatic decline in deaths due to leishmaniasis, it fell out of favour in the 1950s due to higher toxicity compared to sodium stibogluconate.
[citation needed] The compounds currently available for clinical use are: The pentavalent antimonials can only be given by injection: there are no oral preparations available.
[citation needed] In many countries, widespread resistance to antimony has meant that liposomal amphotericin or miltefosine are now used in preference.
[2] Cardiotoxicity, reversible kidney failure, pancreatitis, anemia, leukopenia, rash, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, arthralgia, myalgia, thrombocytopenia, and transaminase elevation.