The effects of dimercaptosuccinic acid on the excretion and distribution of mercury in rats and mice treated with mercuric chloride and methylmercury chloride.

1 All five rats in a group survived if dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), a water soluble derivative of 2,3-dimercaptopropanol (BAL), was given in doses of 10-40 mg/kg intraperitoneally 30 min, 4 and 24 h after administration of 2.4 mg/kg Hg as HgCl2, whereas three out of a group of five died if DMSA was not given. DMSA 20 mg/kg increased urinary excretion and decreased the body burden significantly more than 10 mg/kg DMSA, but further doubling of the dose had only marginal effects. 2 DMSA was able to reduce body burden and increase urinary excretion of Hg when intraperitoneal treatment started eight days after the subcutaneous administration of HgCl2. 3 DMSA was effective in decreasing body burden and the brain concentration of Hg in rats dosed orally with methylmercury (MeHgCl) when intraperitoneal treatment started with 40 mg/kg DMSA 24 h after Hg. Increase in the urinary excretion of mercury was responsible for the decrease in body burden. 4 DMSA was effective when given in the drinking water of rats or mice both against inorganic Hg and MeHgCl. In mice treated intraperitoneally with MeHgCl, DMSA 19.5 mug/ml in the drinking water caused a significant decrease in the body burden and increase in the excretion of Hg. 5 DMSA was about four times more efficient than D-penicillamine in decreasing the body burden of Hg. As their toxicity is in the same range, the higher efficiency of DMSA offers a larger margin of safety for the mobilization of Hg.