The most frequent adverse reactions are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and a
feeling of general discomfort. It is also common to experience various sensations in the skin, from crawling or tingling sensations, tenderness of palms and the soles, and numbness of hands, arm, legs or feet.
[11] Other skin reactions include skin rash, swelling and stinging sensation.
[11] Suramin can also cause loss of appetite and irritability.
[11]Suramin causes non-harmful changes in urine during use, specifically making the urine cloudy.
[11]
Less common side effects include extreme fatigue, ulcers in the mouth, and painful tender glands in the neck, armpits and groin.
[11] Suramin uncommonly affects the eyes causing watery eyes, swelling around the eyes, photophobia, and changes or loss of vision.
[11]
Rare side effects include hypersensitivity reactions causing difficulty breathing. Other rare systemic effects include decreased blood pressure, fever, rapid heart rate, and convulsions.
[11] Other rare side effects include symptoms of liver dysfunction such as tenderness in upper abdomen, jaundice in eyes and skin, unusual bleeding or bruising.
[11]
Suramin has been applied clinically to HIV/AIDS patients resulting in a significant number of fatal occurrences and as a result the application of this molecule was abandoned for this condition.
[12]