title: The effect of immediate and delayed treatment with 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulphonate on the distribution and toxicity of inorganic mercury in mice and in foetal and adult rats.
abstract: The distribution and excretion of mercury were studied in mice and rats given a single injection of HgCl2 combined with chelation treatment. BAL-sulph (2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulphonate) given intravenously (500 mumol SH/kg) to mice 24 hrs after the mercury injection (2.0 mumol Hg/kg) reduced the kidney Hg-level significantly, while NAPA (N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine) and BAL (2,3-dimercaptopropanol) did not. Severe kidney damage with oliguria was observed in pregnant as well as in non-pregnant rats after injection of 5 mumol/kg of HgCl2. The gross pathological changes could be avoided with immediate treatment with BAL-sulph (500 mumol SH/kg), and such treatment protect against the oliguric reaction. Treatment delayed for 24 hrs reduced the renal Hg-levels significantly, but was ineffective in preventing the kidney damage. This indicates that irreversible changes might have occurred in kidneys cells at this time. The Hg-levels in the brain were either unchanged or lowered in animals given BAL-sulph treatment. BAL-sulph is supposed to act by chelation Hg++, particularly in the extracellular space. The complexes formed appears to be rapidly excreted by healthy kidneys. Mercury poisoning with severe renal damage is, however, associated with a block in urinary Hg-excretion. The poisoned animals responded on the BAL-sulph treatment with a substantial raise of faecal mercury excretion.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004112:Dimercaprol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008628:Mercury / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors; D014494:Unithiol / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D004112:Dimercaprol; D014494:Unithiol; D008628:Mercury; D010396:Penicillamine