Bisphosphonates as Chelating Agents in Uranium Poisoning

The study of uranium toxicity is very important for public health in general and especially for workers involved in the processes of uranium mining and milling because of the immediate and/or mediate risks of exposure. Most available studies show unsuccessful attempts to eliminate uranium from target organs once the poisoning has occurred. Our group has managed to avoid damage to target organs (short-term kidney and long-term bone damage) in a high percentage of animals treated with lethal doses of uranyl nitrate through the effective chelating action of a single dose of bisodic etidronate. In this context, the contributions of our team and other groups working on chelating therapies provide a starting point for progress in the search for agents for preventing and/or reducing the toxic effects of uranium.