Background:

Succimer is a widely used chelating agent for the treatment of Pb poisoning.

Succimer is a widely used chelating agent for the treatment of Pb poisoning. Red blood cells (RBCs) from lead exposed animals treated with NAC or Succimer are shown to have significantly higher glutathione (GSH) levels and diminished malondialdehyde (MDA) levels when compare to the lead group. Succimer administration also results in decreased glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity in RBCs from lead exposed animals[1]. Succimer treatment produces a significant reduction in blood lead levels for both lead exposure conditions: the High Pb-succ group has blood lead levels that are 27% of the blood lead levels of the High Pb group at the end of treatment. Succimer is effective in substantially reducing brain lead, as brain lead levels in the High Pb-succ group are 37% of levels in the High Pb group[2].

[1]. Gürer H, et al. Antioxidant effects of N-acetylcysteine and succimer in red blood cells from lead-exposed rats. Toxicology. 1998 Jul 17;128(3):181-9. [2]. Beaudin SA, et al. Succimer chelation normalizes reactivity to reward omission and errors in lead-exposed rats. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2007 Mar-Apr;29(2):188-202.