Dimercaprol, also called British anti-Lewisite (BAL), is a medication used to treat acute poisoning by arsenic, mercury, gold, and lead. It may also be used for antimony, thallium, or bismuth poisoning, although the evidence for those uses is not very strong. It is given by injection into a muscle.Common side effects include high blood pressure, pain at the site of the injection, vomiting, and fever. It is not recommended for people with peanut allergies as it is typically formulated as a suspension in peanut oil. It is unclear if use in pregnancy is safe for the baby. Dimercaprol is a chelator and works by binding with heavy metals. It has a very pungent odor. Dimercaprol was first made during World War II. It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. Medical uses
Dimercaprol has long been the mainstay of chelation therapy for lead or arsenic poisoning, and it is an essential drug. It is also used as an antidote to the chemical weapon Lewisite. Nonetheless, because it can have serious adverse effects, researchers have also pursued development of less toxic analogues, such as succimer. Wilsons disease is a genetic disorder in which copper builds up inside the liver and other tissues. Dimercaprol is a copper chelating agent that has been approved by the FDA to treat Wilsons disease.Dimercaprol also shows effectiveness against snakebite by potently antagonizing the activity of Zn2+-dependent snake venom metalloproteinases in vitro.
History
The original name of dimercaprol reflects its origins as a compound secretly developed by British biochemists at Oxford University during World War II as an antidote for lewisite, a now-obsolete arsenic-based chemical warfare agent. See also
EDTA
2,3-Dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid
Dimercaptosuccinic acid
DMSA scan
Penicillamine
Heavy metal poisoning

References
External links
"Dimercaprol". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.