DIETHYLDITHIOCARBAMATE IN TREATMENT OF ACUTE CADMIUM POISONING

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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 11  (6) , 476-483
Abstract
An insoluble complex was synthesized by the reaction of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate trihydrate (DDTC) with CdCl2.cntdot.2.5 H2O (Cd). Elemental analyses of the product yielded a percent composition of each element which was consistent with the postulated structure of 2 mol equivalents of (DDTC)- and 1 mol equivalent of Cd2+. The DDTC formed a complex with 11 other metal ions tested but not with Ca2+ or Mg2+. The complex with Cd was highly insoluble in water, 0.1 N HCl, 0.1 N NaOH, human serum and CCl4, but it was soluble in pure dimethyl sulfoxide. The DDTC protected mice from a > LD100 dose of Cd. This protective effect was more pronounced when DDTC treatment was delayed at least 30 min after i.p. administration of Cd; > 98% of mice treated with 500 mg/kg DDTC 30 min to 5 h after Cd administration survived and 50% survived when treatment was delayed for 8 h. Administration of DDTC prior to or immediately after Cd gave less protection. The lowest (DDTC)-/Cd2+ molar dose ratio which resulted in 100% survival following the otherwise lethal dose of Cd was 7.6, which was < 4 times the theoretical stoichiometric molar ratio for formation of the complex. LD50 of the complex in mice was .apprx. 650 mg/kg by i.p., which was indicative of a low degree of dissociation in vivo.