Radiopharmaceuticals as modern metal complexes

RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS AS MODERN METAL COMPLEXES Chelation is a chemical process in which a substance is used to bind molecules, such as metals or minerals, and hold them tightly so that they can be removed from a system, such as the body. In medicine, chelation has been scientifically proven to rid the body of excess or toxic metals: a person who has lead poisoning may be given chelation therapy in order to bind and remove excess lead from the body before it can cause damage. In the case of EDTA chelation therapy, the substance that binds and removes metals and minerals is EDTA. EDTA was first used in the 1940s for the treatment of heavy metal poisoning to remove heavy metals and minerals from the blood, such as lead, iron, copper, and calcium, and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in treating lead poisoning and toxicity from other heavy metals. Chelation therapy will remove excessive levels of 13 elements from the body -- lead, mercury, nickel, cadmium, and aluminum -- all toxic elements. It also will remove some good minerals from your body as well -- such as chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, and calcium. It is important to take mineral supplements to counteract this while on chelation therapy. The EDTA is eliminated from the body, 95 per cent via the kidneys and 5 per cent via the bile, along with the toxic metals and free ionic calcium, which it has locked on to in its transit through the circulatory system. Although it is not approved by the FDA to treat CAD (Coronary Artery Disease or angina pectoris), some physicians and alternative medicine practitioners have recommended EDTA chelation as a way to treat this disorder. Chelation with EDTA has a low occurrence of side effects: the most common one is a burning sensation experienced at the site where the EDTA is delivered into the veins. Rare side effects can include fever, hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure), hypocalcemia (abnormally low calcium levels in the blood), headache, nausea, vomiting, and bone marrow depression. Several theories have been suggested for this form of CAD treatment. One theory suggests that EDTA chelation might work by directly removing calcium found in fatty plaques that block the arteries, causing the plaques to break up. Another is that the process of chelation may stimulate the release of a hormone that in turn causes calcium to be removed from the plaques or causes a lowering of cholesterol levels. A third theory is that EDTA chelation therapy may work by reducing the damaging effects of oxygen ions (oxidative stress) on the walls of the blood vessels. Reducing oxidative stress could reduce inflammation in the arteries and improve blood vessel function. None of these theories has been well tested in scientific studies. There is a lack of adequate prior research to verify EDTA chelation therapy's safety and effectiveness for CAD. Ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid is a chelating agent for electrically charged metal atoms, and incorporating them into its structure. It is also an antibacterial agent and is widely used as a preservative. EDTA has a particular affinity for heavy and toxic metals and was approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for lead poisoning in 1959. Unexpectedly, lead-poisoning victims who also suffered symptoms of arteriosclerosis reported that chelation reduced their angina and leg pain and increased their endurance. Because of these unforeseen benefits, doctors began studying the effects of EDTA on patients with arteriosclerosis. Some chelationists believe that the therapy works because EDTA helps unclog the circulatory system by drawing calcium from plaque or that all of EDTA’s various effects stem from its proven action, as a lead chelator. Others say the EDTA helps reduce the effects of free radicals—highly reactive atomic structures lacking one electron that contribute to the process of aging. Chitosan is a ...