Propagermanium Explained

Propagermanium (INN), also known by a variety of other names including bis(2-carboxyethylgermanium) sesquioxide and 2-carboxyethylgermasesquioxane, is an organometallic compound of germanium^[1] that is sold as an alternative medicine. It is a polymeric compound with the formula ((HOOCCH₂CH₂Ge)₂O₃)_n.

The compound was first synthesized in 1967 at the Asai Germanium Research Institute^[2] in Japan. It is a water-soluble organogermanium compound used as raw material in nutritional supplements. The compound displays low toxicity in studies with rats.^[3]

Notes and References

1. M.P. Egorov, P.P. Gaspar (1994), Germanium: Organometallic chemistry in Encyclopedia of Inorganic Chemistry. John Wiley & Sons
2. Web site: Asai Germanium Japan. 2022-02-04. Asai Germanium Japan. en-US.
3. Doi . Yuko. etal. 2017 . No carcinogenicity of poly-trans-[(2-carboxyethyl) germasesquioxane] (Ge-132): 26-week feeding study using rasH2 mice . Fundamental Toxicological Sciences . 4 . 3 . 137–150 . 10.2131/fts.4.137 . free .