Approved Medical Use
Chelation therapy is used as a treatment for acute mercury, iron (including in cases of thalassemia), arsenic, lead, uranium, plutonium and other forms of toxic metal poisoning. The chelating agent may be administered intravenously, intramuscularly, or orally, depending on the agent and the type of poisoning.
One example of successful chelation therapy is the case of Harold McCluskey, a nuclear worker who became badly contaminated with americium in 1976. He was treated with diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) over many years, removing 41 MBq (1.1 mCi) of americium from his body. His death, 11 years later, was from unrelated causes.
Several chelating agents are available, having different affinities for different metals. Common chelating agents follow:
| Chelator | Used in |
|---|---|
| Dimercaprol (British anti-Lewisite; BAL) |
|
| Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) |
|
| Dimercapto-propane sulfonate (DMPS) |
|
| Penicillamine | Mainly in:
Occasionally adjunctive therapy in:
|
| Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (calcium disodium versante) (CaNa2-EDTA) |
|
| Deferoxamine and Deferasirox |
|
Read more about this topic: Chelation Therapy
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