The effects of D-penicillamine on the renal and liver functions in neonates and the in vitro influence on granulocytes.

ABSTRACT

D-Penicillamine (DPA) was introduced to treat neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in 1973 and to prevent retinopathy of prematurity in 1980. In this study we investigated the renal and liver functions of neonates treated with DPA and the in vitro effect of the drug on superoxide anion generation and beta-glucuronidase release as well as phagocytic and intracellular killing activation of human peripheral blood granulocytes. Our data concerning the renal and liver functions before and after 3 to 4 days DPA treatment reveal that the drug does not produce any pathological change during short-term administration in the neonatal period. Furthermore, it was found that superoxide anion generation was slightly increased, and beta-glucuronidase release markedly increased by preincubation with DPA at concentrations of 0.5-5 mM. The rise was directly proportional to the concentration in the examined range. On the other hand, none of the examined DPA concentrations influenced the phagocytic or killing activity of neutrophils.