Vitamin C, glutathione, or lipoic acid did not decrease brain or kidney mercury in rats exposed to mercury vapor

Area of Science:

• Toxicology
• Environmental Health
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Medical practitioners sometimes use glutathione (GSH), vitamin C, and chelating agents like DMPS or DMSA to treat mercury exposure, often from dental amalgams.
• The efficacy of these treatments, particularly antioxidants, in reducing mercury accumulation in the brain remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether GSH, vitamin C, or lipoic acid, alone or with DMPS/DMSA, can decrease mercury levels in the brain.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of these compounds in mitigating mercury toxicity from vapor exposure.

Main Methods:

• Young rats were exposed to elemental mercury vapor for 7 days.
• After an equilibrium period, rats received treatments including DMPS, DMSA, GSH, vitamin C, or lipoic acid, alone or in combination, for 7 days.
• Brain and kidney mercury concentrations were analyzed using cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Main Results:

• None of the tested regimens significantly reduced mercury content in the brain.
• DMPS and DMSA were effective in lowering mercury concentrations in the kidneys.
• GSH, vitamin C, and lipoic acid, individually or combined, did not reduce kidney mercury levels.

Conclusions:

• GSH, vitamin C, and lipoic acid do not appear to mobilize mercury from the brain or kidneys in this model of mercury vapor toxicity.
• The study suggests these antioxidants may not be effective for reducing brain mercury burden following vapor exposure.
• DMPS and DMSA show potential for reducing mercury accumulation in the kidneys, but not the brain.