CLINICAL USES OF 2,3-DIMERCAPTOPROPANOL (BAL). X. THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE SYSTEMIC MERCURY POISONING IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS WITH BAL, THIOSORBITOL AND BAL GLUCOSIDE

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Abstract
Three mercaptans, BAL, BAL glucoside and 1-thiosorbitol, have been employed in the treatment of acute intraven. HgCl2 poisoning in the rabbit. BAL and BAL glucoside have been employed in the treatment of acute intraven. and oral HgCly poisoning in the dog. Rabbits receiving 3.0 mg./kg. of HgCl2 (LD96) intraven. were completely protected by 3 doses of 0.1 mM./kg. of any of the mercaptans, provided therapy was initiated within 5 min. Therapy was progressively less effective with decreasing dosage or increasing delay before initiation. The order of decreasing efficacy of the 3 mercaptans was BAL glucoside, BAL and 1-thiosorbitol. Dogs receiving 4.0 mg./kg. of HgCl2 intraven. (LD100) were completely protected from the renal effects of the metal by 3 equal doses of BAL totaling 0.15 mM./kg. when treatment was delayed for 30 mins. Striking protection was still afforded both by BAL glucoside and by BAL when treatment was delayed for 2 hrs. Of 44 dogs receiving 30 mg./kg. of HgCl2 orally (LD100) in which treatment with a total of 0.15 mM./kg. of BAL or BAL glucoside was delayed for from 2-5 hrs., 28 survived and only 1 animal died in uremia. No local therapy was employed, and the deaths which occurred could be attributed to gastro-enteritis and inanition. The reactions between mercaptans and Hg in vitro were studied, and tentative formulae for the mer-captides formed were presented. The toxicities of the preformed mercaptides were detd., and the mechanism of action of mercaptans in detoxifying Hg discussed in the light of these data.

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