Chelation Therapy - Approved Medical Use

Approved Medical Use

Chelation therapy is used as a treatment for acute mercury, iron (including in cases of thalassemia), arsenic, lead, uranium, plutonium and other forms of toxic metal poisoning. The chelating agent may be administered intravenously, intramuscularly, or orally, depending on the agent and the type of poisoning.

One example of successful chelation therapy is the case of Harold McCluskey, a nuclear worker who became badly contaminated with americium in 1976. He was treated with diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) over many years, removing 41 MBq (1.1 mCi) of americium from his body. His death, 11 years later, was from unrelated causes.

Several chelating agents are available, having different affinities for different metals. Common chelating agents follow:

Chelator Used in
Dimercaprol (British anti-Lewisite; BAL)
  • acute arsenic poisoning
  • acute mercury poisoning
  • lead poisoning (in addition to EDTA)
  • Lewisite poisoning (for which it was developed as an antidote)
Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA)
  • lead poisoning
  • arsenic poisoning
  • mercury poisoning
Dimercapto-propane sulfonate (DMPS)
  • severe acute arsenic poisoning
  • severe acute mercury poisoning
Penicillamine Mainly in:
  • copper toxicity

Occasionally adjunctive therapy in:

  • gold toxicity
  • arsenic poisoning
  • lead poisoning
  • rheumatoid arthritis
Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (calcium disodium versante) (CaNa2-EDTA)
  • lead poisoning
Deferoxamine and Deferasirox
  • acute iron poisoning
  • iron overload

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