Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antirheumatic drugs, ATC code: M01CC01
1. Penicillamine is used to treat severe active rheumatoid arthritis not adequately controlled by NSAID therapy.
2. Penicillamine is a chelating agent which aids the elimination from the body of certain heavy metal ions, including copper, lead and mercury, by forming stable soluble complexes with them that are readily excreted by the kidney.
3. It is used in the treatment of Wilson's disease (hepatolenticular degeneration), in conjunction with a low copper diet, to promote the excretion of copper.
4. It may be used to treat asymptomatic lead intoxication.
5. Penicillamine is used as an adjunct to diet and urinary alkalinisation in the management of cystinuria. By reducing urinary concentrations of cystine, penicillamine prevents the formation of calculi and promotes the gradual dissolution of existing calculi.
6. Desensitisation. Should the physician deem it necessary to attempt to desensitise a patient to penicillamine, it should be noted that this formulation is not suitable for this purpose.
