THE CUPRURETIC EFFECT OF 2 CHELATORS FOLLOWING COPPER LOADING IN SHEEP

The cupruretic effect of 2 copper chelators, d-penicillamine and trien tine, was assessed in 12 fistulated South African Mutton Merino rams o f approximately 6 mo age following copper loading. Each animal receive d 20 mg CuSO4.5H2O/kg body mass as an 0.5% m/v aqueous solution, intra ruminally, daily for 35 d. The animals were randomly assigned to eithe r a d-penicillamine (n=4) or trientine treatment group (n=4) or an unm edicated control group (n=4). A separate group of 3 rams were kept as non-copper-loaded controls. Urinary copper excretion was measured befo re and during treatment. All the sheep were housed individually or pla ced intermittently on steel metabolic crates to facilitate urine colle ction. At the end of the trial the animals were euthanatized and speci mens of organs collected for determination of copper concentrations. d -Penicillamine significantly (p<0.05) increased urinary copper excreti on. Trientine failed to increase copper excretion in the urine when co mpared to the unmedicated and non-copper-loaded control groups.