Details

Dimercaprol is a chelating agent that is used to remove a heavy metal (such as lead or mercury) from the blood. Dimercaprol is used to treat arsenic, gold, or mercury poisoning. It is also used together with another medicine called edetate disodium (EDTA) to treat lead poisoning. Before using dimercaprol, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease an allergy to any drugs or if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Dimercaprol is injected into a muscle. It is most effective when used within 1 or 2 hours after a sudden poisoning. This medicine may not be as effective in treating long-term poisoning (slow poisoning that has occurred over a long period of time). Dimercaprol is sometimes given for several days, depending on the type of poisoning being treated.

Typical Uses

Dimercaprol is a chelating agent, indicated in the treatment of metal poisoning with metals such as arsenic, gold and mercury. It is an adjunct to Calcium Disodium Edetate in lead poisoning, and also an adjunct to penicillamine to copper poisoning and Wilson Disease.

Side Effects

Some of the side effects of dimercaprol include severe drowsiness, severe headache severe nausea or vomiting, stomach pain pain or pressure in your throat or chest anxiety, restless feeling, rapid heartbeats pain, tingling, or tight feeling in your hands burning sensation in your mouth and throat burning sensation in your penis red or watery eyes, twitching eyelids runny nose, increased salivation or signs of a kidney problem-little or no urinating painful or difficult urination swelling in your feet or ankles feeling tired or short of breath.

Drug Interactions

• Dimercaprol+carbonyl iron- Dimercaprol can bind with certain metals such as iron and selenium, forming a complex that is toxic to the kidneys. Products containing iron or selenium should not be used during dimercaprol therapy. If you are currently receiving or have recently received carbonyl iron, let your doctor know before receiving treatment with dimercaprol. You may need to wait at least 24 hours after the last dose of dimercaprol before you can start or resume carbonyl iron.

• Dimercaprol+docusate- Dimercaprol can bind with certain metals such as iron and selenium, forming a complex that is toxic to the kidneys. Products containing iron or selenium should not be used during dimercaprol therapy. If you are currently receiving or have recently received docusate, let your doctor know before receiving treatment with dimercaprol. You may need to wait at least 24 hours after the last dose of dimercaprol before you can start or resume docusate.

• Dimercaprol+iron dextran- Dimercaprol can bind with certain metals such as iron and selenium, forming a complex that is toxic to the kidneys. Products containing iron or selenium should not be used during dimercaprol therapy. If you are currently receiving or have recently received iron dextran, let your doctor know before receiving treatment with dimercaprol. You may need to wait at least 24 hours after the last dose of dimercaprol before you can start or resume iron dextran.

• Dimercaprol+selenium- Dimercaprol can bind with certain metals such as iron and selenium, forming a complex that is toxic to the kidneys. Products containing iron or selenium should not be used during dimercaprol therapy. If you are currently receivi

Mechanism of action

Dimercaprol is a chelating agent. The chelating agents being antagonists compete with body ligands for the heavy metals. They usually have 2 or more reacting groups which can hold the metal from 2 sides to form a ring. These should have higher affinity for the toxic metal to be excreted than Ca 2+ which is readily available in plasma than in body fluids. They should also have higher affinity for the metal than the body ligands. The sulfhydryl groups on Dimercaprol compete with endogenous sulfhydryl groups on proteins such as enzymes to combine with these metals The 2 SH groups of Dimercaprol bind those metals (mercury, gold, arsenic) which produce their toxicity by interacting with sulfhydryl containing enzymes in the body and forms stable soluble complex which can be easily excreted through urine.

Pregnancy Category : C