Initially, Dylan was treated with EDTA and then DMSA.
1. What are EDTA and DMSA and how might they reduce the high levels of lead in Dylan’s tissues?

EDTA ~ Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid,
EDTA is an aminopolycarboxylic acid; a colourless, water-soluble solid, its usefulness comes from its ability to sequester metal ions and act a chelating agent, a hexadenate ligand. Once metal ions are surrounded to the EDTA (1), they remain in solution but become less reactive, “chelation therapy” EDTA was first approved for use in 1953 by the U.S ~ FDA.

DMSA ~ Dimercaptosuccinic acid,
An organosulphur compound, a meso isomer also used as a chelating agent, its primary use is for the treatment of lead poisoning, again a colourless solid containing two carboxylic acid and two thiol groups, which give a distinct foul odour (5). Established by Chinese scientists in 1957 to be effective in …show more content…
However, it is thought an increase of antioxidants could help compete to produce ROS and treat toxicity more gently.

2. These symptoms are a “direct consequence” of lead interfering with reduction/oxidation pathways. Outline an understanding of the action of lead (or another heavy metal) on functional cellular pathways?
An environmental pollutant with deadly properties (3) Pb binds to erythrocytes in the bloodstream, inorganic lead is distributed through blood, soft tissue, bones and teeth. Organic forms of Pb are fat-soluble. The half-lives for lead in blood, soft tissue and bone are approximately. (7) 25 days, 40 days and, 25 years respectively. It accrues over a period time, being released very slowly. In the blood, Pb is mostly associated with erythrocytes. The image above shows basophilic granules in RBCs, resulting from the interference of Pb with the sulphydryl groups responsible for the correct (7) function of the enzymes responsible for synthesizing haemoglobin. (PBG Synthase, Porphobilinogen Deaminase, and