Metallocomplexes may treat mustard gas burns, study suggests

Novel metallocomplexes may be helpful in treating ocular mustard gas injuries, an animal study suggests. Zinc- and gallium-desferrioxamine have the ability to infiltrate cells and inhibit formation of free radicals, the study authors said.

Eyal Banin and colleagues at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem exposed one eye of 72 rabbits to nitrogen mustard in a 1% or 2% concentration. Topical treatment with eye drops of a metallocomplex was compared with treatment with saline carrier alone, zinc chloride or desferrioxamine alone.

Treatment with either zinc-desferrioxamine or gallium-desferrioxamine yielded marked protection, including faster healing of corneal epithelial erosions, less scarring and neovascularization, decreased inflammation in the anterior chamber, better maintenance of intraocular pressure and less severe changes in the iris and lens.

The study is published in the July issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.