Premium
Mode of action of triethylenetetramine dihydrochloride on copper metabolism in Wilson's disease
Author(s) -
Siegemund R.,
Lößner J.,
Günther K.,
Kühn H.J.,
Bachmann H.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1991.tb03964.x
Subject(s) - triethylenetetramine , wilson's disease , copper metabolism , copper , mode of action , metabolism , disease , chemistry , medicine , biochemistry , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry
The drug of choice for the initial treatment of “decoppering” in Wilson's disease, an inherited disorder of copper metabolism, is the chelating agent D‐penicillamine. In the case of harmful side‐effects an alternative drug is triethylenetetramine dihydrochloride (trien or trientine). Using the 24‐h‐urine excretion of copper and the oral copper loading test with copper‐64, a double function for trien was found: trien increases the urine copper excretion and decreases the intestinal copper absorption respectively.