meso-2,3-Dimercaptosuccinic acid is a heavy metal chelator.1 It reverses sodium arsenite-induced inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) in mouse kidney homogenates (EC50 = 0.25 mM). meso-2,3-Dimercaptosuccinic acid decreases cisplatin-induced increases in serum levels of platinum and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), as well as apoptosis in renal tubules of mice when administered at a dose of 100 ?M/kg.2 meso-2,3-Dimercaptosuccinic acid (90 mg/kg) decreases elevations in the activity of catalase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) in RBCs from lead-exposed rats, and decreases the levels of lead in the cerebellum, hippocampus, liver, kidney, and blood in rats when administered at a dose of 100 mg/kg.3,4 It decreases immobility time in the forced swim test in lead-exposed male, but not female, mice when administered at a dose of 50 mg/kg.5 Formulations containing meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid have been used in the treatment of heavy metal poisoning.
1.Aposhian, H.V., Hsu, C.-A., and Hoover, T.D.DL- and meso-dimercaptosuccinic acid: in vitro and in vivo studies with sodium arseniteToxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.69(2)206-213(1983) 2.Yajima, Y., Kawaguchi, M., Yoshikawa, M., et al.The effects of 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS) and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) on the nephrotoxicity in the mouse during repeated cisplatin (CDDP) treatmentsJ. Pharmacol. Sci.134(2)108-115(2017) 3.Gürer, H., ?zgünes, H., Neal, R., et al.Antioxidant effects of N-acetylcysteine and succimer in red blood cells from lead-exposed ratsToxicology128(3)181-189(1998) 4.Zhang, J., Wang, X.-F., Lu, Z.-B., et al.The effects of meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid and oligomeric procyanidins on acute lead neurotoxicity in rat hippocampusFree Rad. Biol. Med.37(7)1037-1050(2004) 5.Stewart, P.W., Blaine, C., Cohen, M., et al.Acute and longer term effects of meso-2,3 dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) on the behavior of lead-exposed and control micePhysiol. Behav.59(4-5)849-855(1996)