Molecules: You'd better learn to live with them.
« Albendazole (Squirmy little heterocycle) | Main | Bmim (Ionic liquid or molten salt?) »
Category: Drugs
Posted on: January 11, 2007 9:00 PM, by Molecule of the Day
Despite the name, penicillamine isn't an antibiotic; it's actually a metabolite of penicillin-class drugs. It is given as the pure chemical too.
It is an immunosuppressant, among other things. My favorite medical use of it is its role in chelating copper as a treatment for Wilson's disease, a rare disease caused by an inborn error in metabolism that causes copper to accumulate. Remove the copper, you treat the disease.
TrackBack URL for this entry:
YES! Send me a free issue of Seed.
If I like what I see, I'll receive 5 more issues (6 in all) for just $14.95. That's 50% off the cover price! If I'm not completely satisfied, I'll simply write "cancel" on the invoice and owe nothing. The free issue is mine to keep.
(Non-U.S. subscribers, click here.)
Comments
why don't you do a little special on butyric acid... with cancer and such
Posted by: none | January 12, 2007 4:12 PM
Good job, House.
Posted by: Jeremiah | January 23, 2007 9:53 AM