Mobilization of cadmium in mice by combined treatment with N-benzyl-N-dithiocarboxy-D-glucamine and diesters of meso-2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid.

Mice which had received a non-lethal injection of cadmium (Cd) as CdCl2 nine days prior to therapy were treated with N-benzyl-N-dithiocarboxy-D-glucamine (BDCG) alone or in combination with either di(iso-butyl)dimercaptosuccinate (DiBDMS) or di(iso-amyl)-dimercaptosuccinate (DiADMS). Seven injections of BDCG (1.0 mmole/kg), DiBDMS (0.4 mmole/kg), and DiADMS (0.4 mmol/kg) reduced whole body Cd burdens 50%, 54% and 37%, respectively; coadministration of BDCG + DiBDMS and BDCG + DiADMS produced respective reductions of 65% and 61%. Seven injections of BDCG lowered renal Cd concentrations an average of 82%, but reduced hepatic Cd concentrations only 53%. The DMSA diesters were more effective in lowering hepatic Cd than in reducing the levels of Cd in the kidneys. The respective hepatic and renal Cd reductions were 50% and 20% after treatment with DiADMS, and were 73% and 30% after treatment with DiBDMS. Coadministration of BDCG with DiADMS reduced hepatic and renal Cd concentrations 74% and 82%, respectively, while BDCG co-administered with DiBDMS yielded respective reductions of 80% and 82%. It is suggested that combined use of these newer Cd complexing agents in studies of experimental Cd poisoning may now permit resolution of the issue of reversibility of Cd-induced nephrotoxicity.