We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Penicillamine?

By Eric Stolze
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 6,839
Share

Penicillamine is an antirheumatic prescription drug and chelating agent. The drug is available under the Depen® and Cuprimine® brand names in many cases. Physicians may prescribe this drug as an antirheumatic medication to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This medication typically slows progression of joint deformities and other problems related to rheumatoid arthritis and can improve daily functioning in some patients.

In some instances, penicillamine is used as a chelating agent that binds to heavy metals or chemicals and helps remove them from a patient’s body. Patients with Wilson’s disease may receive this medicine to help with the removal of excess copper from the body. High cystine levels and excessive amounts of iron or mercury may be reduced in many instances with the help of this medication. Doctors may prescribe penicillamine to treat people with lead poisoning and lower toxic lead levels in the body’s tissues.

People usually take penicillamine orally in capsule or tablet form with a glass of water. Physicians may have patients take this drug at least an hour before or an hour after they consume food, milk or other drugs to improve its absorption. Penicillamine can reduce levels of important vitamins and minerals in the body, and doctors may prescribe vitamin or mineral supplementation during treatment. Physicians may recommend that patients restrict antacid use with this drug due to the possibility that aluminum and magnesium in antacids may limit drug absorption.

Some users of penicillamine can experience allergic reactions to the drug, such as hives as well as breathing problems, throat closure and swelling of the face and tongue. Serious side effects that have been reported by some people include a sore throat, fever and unusual bleeding. Muscle weakness and double vision have occurred in some instances. In many cases, doctors recommend that patients seek emergency medical help if they develop allergic reactions or serious side effects. Other side effects that can occur with this drug may include ringing in the ears, reduced sense of taste and gastrointestinal effects such as nausea or diarrhea.

In most instances, physicians recommend that patients not use penicillamine if they currently take gold therapy drugs, such as gold sodium thiomalate, aurothioglucose or auranofin, because of potential drug interactions. Cancer chemotherapy medications, anti-malarial drugs and phenylbutazone may also cause unwanted interactions with penicillamine. The effects of digoxin may be enhanced when combined with this drug. Kidney disease patients who take this medication typically receive dosage adjustments or special monitoring from their doctors. This drug can cause birth defects and is generally not recommended for use by pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-penicillamine.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.