COMPARISON OF ENHANCED ELIMINATION OF BISMUTH IN HUMANS AFTER TREATMENT WITH MESO-2,3-DIMERCAPTOSUCCINIC ACID AND D,L-2,3-DIMERCAPTOPROPANE-1-SULFONIC ACID

Two groups of 12 human volunteers, who had been treated with colloidal bismuth subcitrate, because of Helicobacter pylori-associated gastrit is, participated in the study, The patients received a single dose of meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) or D,L-2,3-dimercaptopropane-1 -sulfonic acid (DMPS) at a dose of 30 mg kg(-1) in a randomized single blind study, In contrast to DMPS, increasing concentrations of bismut h in blood were observed during the first 4 h after intake of DMSA, In urine, both chelators induced a 50-fold increase in urinary bismuth e xcretion compared with the control urines, The treatment was well tole rated, The results indicate that both DMSA and DMPS effectively increa se the elimination of bismuth in human urine, Consequently, both chela tors may be of benefit in the treatment of patients with bismuth intox ication.