Chelate antidotes for sodium vanadate and vanadyl sulfate intoxication in mice.

Eighteen different chelating agents, including all of those previously shown to have a protective action in vanadium intoxication, have been compared as antidotes for acute vanadium intoxication using mice. Of these compounds, those found to be effective antidotes for both vanadate (VO3(-3)) and vanadyl (VO2+) include ascorbic acid, deferoxamine, D-penicillamine, sodium calcium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Na3CaDTPA), Na2CaEDTA, glutathione, Tiron, and ethylenediaminetetra(methylene phosphonate). Of the compounds examined, ascorbic acid appeared to be the most promising for human use. When administered at the levels used in this study, it is an effective antidote for intoxication due to either the vanadate or the vanadyl ion. Certain compounds are able to act as antidotes for vanadate solely by virtue of their action as a reducing agent; when these compounds are unable to form complexes with the reduction product (vanadyl ion), they are effective antidotes for the higher oxidation state only when the concentration of vanadyl produced is less than the level that results in toxic effects.