The Effect of Mercaptodextran on Distribution and Toxicity of Mercury in Mice

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Abstract
Mercaptodextran (SH‐dextran) proved to be less toxic than BAL in rodents and better tolerated in intravenous infusion therapy. Immediate therapy with SH‐dextran was superior to any other treatment for the removal of sublethal doses of mercury (1.8 μmol Hg/kg) from the body. The life‐saving effect of SH‐dextran given immediately after a lethal HgCl2‐dose (74 μmol Hg/kg) was demonstrated. When chelation therapy was given two hours after the poisoning, however, SH‐dextran was without any significant effect, while BAL was still life‐saving. Mercury mobilized from the kidneys was redistributed to other organs when immediate chelation treatment with low molecular thiols was given, whereas SH‐dextran brought about an excretion of mobilized mercury. SH‐dextran, in contrast to certain other antidotes, did not induce an increased deposition of mercury in the brain.

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