Artamine

Indication For treatment of Wilsons disease cystinuria and active rheumatoid arthritis Mechanism of action Penicillamine is a chelating agent recommended for the removal of excess copper in patients with Wilsons disease From in vitro studies which indicate that one atom of copper combines with two molecules of penicillamine Penicillamine also reduces excess cystine excretion in cystinuria This is done at least in part by disulfide interchange between penicillamine and cystine resulting in formation of penicillaminecysteine disulfide a substance that is much more soluble than cystine and is excreted readily Penicillamine interferes with the formation of crosslinks between tropocollagen molecules and cleaves them when newly formed The mechanism of action of penicillamine in rheumatoid arthritis is unknown although it appears to suppress disease activity Unlike cytotoxic immunosuppressants