Minamata Disease Treatment and Therapy
Presently, there is no cure for congenital Minamata disease. Prevention of the mother from ingesting mercury while pregnant is the only way to prevent the disease. Once the disease is present only therapies to ease the symptoms may be used. Some therapies that may be used are:
- Physical Rehabilitation: there are varying degrees of paralysis and muscle function loss by those affected by Minamata Disease and physical therapy can help patients learn to control their bodies and physical functions more effectively. (Tan, 2010)
- Drug therapy: anticonvulsant drugs can be used for those that suffer convulsions. (Tan, 2010)
- Chelating agents: these are agents that competitively bind with heavy metals and react with them in such a way that they can't bind to the tissues in the body and cause further harm. Some examples of chelating agents specifically used for mercury poisoning are succimer, dimercaprol and dimercaptosuccinic acid. Succimer, a metal chelator is the best available treatment for Minamata disease due to it's low toxicity. However there are some drawbacks from using chelating agents, such as having the mercury redistributed in the body and to the brain. (Flora, et. al, 2010)
- Administration of antioxidants: This is used because methyl mercury is harmful because it increases reactive oxygen levels in the body, the use of antioxidants can bring it back to a normal level (Nick, 2007).
Research on Therapeutics for Mercury Poisoning
The use of Disodium Edetate as a Chelating Agent
In a case study done by Corsello, et. al (2009), a 67 year old man that had chronic mercury poisoning and the chelating agent, disodium edetate was used. Disodium edetate (EDTA) is used for chelation because of it's strong affinity for heavy metals, especially mercury. Disodium edetate is able to reach the organs and bind to the mercury, eliminating it from the tissues.
The patient suffered syphyllis 40 years prior and was given mercurials to treat his bacterial infection. He was given a 10 mL intravenous shot of mercury every week for four months. Over the years he began to show signs of headache,tremors, vertigo, shivers, asthenia, memory loss, convulsions, tachycardia, and muscle cramping. He then saw a physician in 1994 who used bioresonance and found that he had elevated levels of mercury in his body.
The physician then started a treatement of disodium edetate, he was treated with 2g/10mL diluted in a 500 mL saline solution administered intravenously over a 90 minute period. Hair samples were taken before and after the treatment for mercury levels. Hair samples are commonly used to determine mercury levels in the body because hair mimics mercury uptake into the brain, making it a good indicator of mercury in the nervous system. When comparing the hair samples before and after the chelating agent was administered, there was a significant decrease of mercury in the hair sample. After 2 years of the administration of the chelating agent, the patient's neurological symptoms completely disappeared and have still been gone for years after.
Although this is just a case study of one patient, it shows promise for a future treatment for those affected with chronic mercury poisoning, especially Minamata disease. Even after years from the initial exposure of the patient to mercury, it was still affecting the patient neurologically, meaning the mercury was still present in the body causing the symptoms experienced by the patient.
Addressing the Bioaccumulation of Mercury with Whole Foods
In Nick's article (2007), she states that the bioaccumulation of mercury in our bodies comes from various sources, including dental amalgam fillings, fish, and environmental contaminants. Some people may have a better tolerance than others, but there is also a way to have a diet rich with food and herbs that detoxify the body and bind and get rid of the cytotoxins in the body. Biosorbents obtained through food get rid of toxins through passive absorption or by forming complexes with the toxins so they can be passed through the human detoxification system. Here are two sources of biosorbents that help get rid of mercury in the human body:
Treatment and Therapies section completed by Evangeline Black
In a case study done by Corsello, et. al (2009), a 67 year old man that had chronic mercury poisoning and the chelating agent, disodium edetate was used. Disodium edetate (EDTA) is used for chelation because of it's strong affinity for heavy metals, especially mercury. Disodium edetate is able to reach the organs and bind to the mercury, eliminating it from the tissues.
The patient suffered syphyllis 40 years prior and was given mercurials to treat his bacterial infection. He was given a 10 mL intravenous shot of mercury every week for four months. Over the years he began to show signs of headache,tremors, vertigo, shivers, asthenia, memory loss, convulsions, tachycardia, and muscle cramping. He then saw a physician in 1994 who used bioresonance and found that he had elevated levels of mercury in his body.
The physician then started a treatement of disodium edetate, he was treated with 2g/10mL diluted in a 500 mL saline solution administered intravenously over a 90 minute period. Hair samples were taken before and after the treatment for mercury levels. Hair samples are commonly used to determine mercury levels in the body because hair mimics mercury uptake into the brain, making it a good indicator of mercury in the nervous system. When comparing the hair samples before and after the chelating agent was administered, there was a significant decrease of mercury in the hair sample. After 2 years of the administration of the chelating agent, the patient's neurological symptoms completely disappeared and have still been gone for years after.
Although this is just a case study of one patient, it shows promise for a future treatment for those affected with chronic mercury poisoning, especially Minamata disease. Even after years from the initial exposure of the patient to mercury, it was still affecting the patient neurologically, meaning the mercury was still present in the body causing the symptoms experienced by the patient.
Addressing the Bioaccumulation of Mercury with Whole Foods
In Nick's article (2007), she states that the bioaccumulation of mercury in our bodies comes from various sources, including dental amalgam fillings, fish, and environmental contaminants. Some people may have a better tolerance than others, but there is also a way to have a diet rich with food and herbs that detoxify the body and bind and get rid of the cytotoxins in the body. Biosorbents obtained through food get rid of toxins through passive absorption or by forming complexes with the toxins so they can be passed through the human detoxification system. Here are two sources of biosorbents that help get rid of mercury in the human body:
- Selenium: the mechanism of action of selenium on mercury is thought to be done by several factors; the competitive binding of selenium with mercury, by forming a complex with mercury rendering the complex inactive, and it protects against the free radical damage done by mercury. Some sources of selenium include: brazil nuts, mushrooms, egg yolks, garlic, and broccoli.
- Chlorella and Chlorophyll: the algae cell wall of chorella contains compounds that bind and remove heavy metals from the body. Chlorella contains the highest amount of chlorophyll of any plant in the world. Chlorella is a green algae, other sources of chlorophyll are green vegetables.
Treatment and Therapies section completed by Evangeline Black
