Relative efficacy of chelating agents as antidotes for acute gallium nitrate intoxication

Twelve chelating agents were administered to mice by IP injection to compare their relative effectiveness in preventing death after a single IP injection of gallium nitrate. Na2Ca-ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), Na3Ca-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA), dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzene-disulfonic acid (Tiron), sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), L-cysteine and sodium salicylate were not effective for acute gallium nitrate intoxication. The therapeutic indices of the effective chelators were: 25.4 (deferoxamine mesylate), 35.7 (citric acid), 42.3 (succinic acid), 52.2 (malic acid) and 111.1 (oxalic acid).