RESUMO
Clinical trials were performed on a sample of twenty-six Yemenis with myopia to study the effect of antimony eye definer [painter] on vision and intraocular pressure [IOP]. In the first trial each patient applied traditional eye definer containing lead daily for three months, in the second trial each patient applied antimony eye definer daily for three months. Vision parameters including the IOP were measured before and after each trial, and a washout period of one month was kept between the two trials. The results showed that antimony eye definer did not change the power of spherical lenses in both eyes, while it significantly improved the power of cylindrical lenses by 20% in the right eye and 23% in the left eye. Moreover it lowered the IOP by 9% in both eyes, these results were statistically significant. The traditional eye definer containing lead did not change these parameters in the patients. Another trials were formed to the study the effect of antimony ointment 5% on human scalp hair growth, in another sample of healthy volunteers, the results revealed that this ointment has stimulated hair growth by 56%, while the standard trichogenic agent minoxidil 5% solution improved hair growth by 62%. In rabbits the effects were more dramatic, where antimony cream stimulates hair growth by 97%, while the standard trichogenic agent minoxidil 5% solution improved hair growth by 78%. Finally antimony did not show antibacterial effects when tested on streptococci [gram+ve] and E coli [gram-ve]