Toxins are a known cause of peripheral neuropathy: aromatics such as petroleum solvents, chlorine gas, many insecticides and herbicides, fungal toxins, drugs (*see list below), heavy metals, alcohol (long time abuse), etc. The list includes hundreds of items: see http://database.healthandenvironment...dex.cfm?id=795

*Drugs known to cause peripheral neuropathy: (from http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/i...y-to-drugs.htm )

• Heart or blood pressure medications
  • Amiodarone
  • Hydralazine
  • Perhexiline
• Drugs used to fight cancer
  • Vincristine
  • Cisplatin
• Drugs used to fight infections
  • Metronidazole (Flagyl)
  • Nitrofurantoin
  • Thalidomide (used to fight leprocy)
  • INH (isoniazid) -- used against tuberculosis)
• Drugs used to treat skin conditions (Dapsone)
• Anticonvulsants (Phenytoin)
• Anti-alcohol drugs (Disulfiram)
• Drugs to fight HIV
  • Zidovudine (Retrovir, formerly AZT)
  • Didanosine (Videx)
  • Stavudine (Zerit)
  • Zalcitabine (Hivid)
  • Ritonavir (Norvir)
  • Amprenavir (Agenerase)
• Drugs to lower cholesterol
  • Lovastatin (Mevacor)
  • Indapamid (Lozol)
  • Gemfibrozil (Lopid)
• Arsenic