Acute aluminium intoxication: a study of the efficacy of several antidotal treatments in mice.

The effect of the chelating agents deferoxamine mesylate (DFOA), sodium salicylate, citric acid, Na2Ca-ethylendiaminetetracetate (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), L-cysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and 2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) on the lethality, elimination and tissue retention of aluminum was investigated on male Swiss mice. To determine the effect of the various chelators on the lethality of aluminium, various doses of Al (NO3)3.9H2O (3.0 - 7.5 mmol/kg) were given intraperitoneally followed immediately by the ip administration of the chelator (at dose equal to one-third of their respective LD50). Survival was recorded at the end of 14 days. Significant increases in survival were noted with citric acid and DFOA. A decrease of the aluminium concentration in various tissues, and an increase in urinary and fecal elimination of aluminium were also noted with citric acid, DFOA, and sodium salicylate. Citric acid appear to be the most effective agent of those tested in the prevention of acute aluminum intoxication.