PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - PEISACH, J.
AU  - BLUMBERG, W. E.
TI  - A Mechanism for the Action of Penicillamine in the Treatment of Wilson’s Disease
DP  - 1969 Mar 01
TA  - Molecular Pharmacology
PG  - 200--209
VI  - 5
IP  - 2
4099  - http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/5/2/200.short
4100  - http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/5/2/200.full
SO  - Mol Pharmacol1969 Mar 01; 5
AB  - Electron paramagnetic resonance studies were performed with nitrogen and sulfur containing chelators of Cu(II) ranging from a vic-dicarbonyl bis-thiosemicarbazone, through butyraldehyde thiosemicarbazone, to penicillamine and cysteine. In the former two cases, stable complexes were formed with a great deal of charge delocalization throughout the chelate ring structures as a result of pseudoaromaticity. In the latter two cases, in which ring electron delocalization is not possible, the unstable Cu(II) complexes are formed, ultimately yielding Cu(I) and oxidized chelator. This reaction, which we term "reductive chelation," is described as a probable mechanism for the mobilization of copper with penicillamine in patients with Wilson’s disease. ACKNOWLEDGMENT We thank Miss Rhoda Oltzik for her able technical assistance.