Comparison of standard chelating agents for acute mercuric chloride poisoning in mice.
A comparison in mice has been made of the effectiveness of five chelating agents used clinically for acute mercuric chloride poisoning, or recommended for such use. The compounds examined were N-Acetyl-D,L-penicillamine (NAPA), D-penicillamine (DPA), 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS), and 2,3-dimercaptopropanol-1 (BAL). The test of effectiveness was their ability to reduce the mortality of acute mercuric chloride poisoning when administered 20 minutes after the mercury at chelate:mercury mole ratios of 10, 15, 20, and 30. All except BAL were found to be effective at the highest mole ratio tested, but N-Acetyl-D,L-penicillamine and sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropanesulfonate were significantly more effective than DMSA and BAL at mole ratios of 10:1. The relative effectiveness does not correlate with available data on stability constants. The toxicity of BAL itself becomes apparent at mole ratios of 20:1 and above.
D000818:Animals; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004355:Drug Stability; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR
D002614:Chelating Agents