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dimercaprol
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Quick Facts
Also called:
British anti-lewisite (BAL)
Related Topics:
antidote
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dimercaprol

drug
Also known as: BAL, British anti-Lewisite
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

dimercaprol, drug that was originally developed to combat the effects of the blister gas lewisite, which was used in chemical warfare. By the end of World War II, dimercaprol had also been found useful as an antidote against poisoning by several metals and semimetals—including arsenic, gold, lead, and mercury—that act by combining with cellular sulfhydryl groups. Dimercaprol is more effective if its use is begun within two hours after ingestion of the toxic metal. Because of its instability in water, it is administered by intramuscular injection of a solution of it in peanut oil.