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PMCOL 303 > Mercury > Flashcards

Mercury Flashcards

1
Q

what can mercury do to the brain

A

demyelination

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2
Q

what are the 3 forms of mercury

A

elemental, inorganic and organic

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3
Q

where is elemental mercury often found

A

in thermometers

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4
Q

what state is elemental mercury at room temperature

A

liquid

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5
Q

what is inorganic mercury

A

mercury bound to other elements

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6
Q

what is often mercury combined with in inorganic mercury

A

chloride

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7
Q

what are 2 types of organic mercury

A

methylmercury and dimethylmercury

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8
Q

where is methylmercury often found

A

in fish

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9
Q

what is the deal with dimethylmercury

A

a few millilitres can kill and it easily passes through the skin

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10
Q

what is the deal with mercury vapour

A

it is readily absorbed via the lungs so it is extremely hazardous

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11
Q

does mercury vapour absorb in the lungs easily? what %

A

yes, 80%

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12
Q

what happens if you swallow elemental mercury liquid

A

non toxic actually

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13
Q

what happens once you inhale elemental mercury

A

catalase in RBC convert it into inorganic or divalent form

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14
Q

how does elemental mercury accumulate in the CNS

A

because it is ionized so then its trapped once it enters the CNS

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15
Q

where does mercury get accumulated in the body

A

CNS

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16
Q

how does elemental mercury stay in the CNS (why is it trapped)

A

because it is ionized

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17
Q

what are the symptoms of ionized elemental mercury accumulation similar to

A

symptoms to inorganic poisoning

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18
Q

how is inorganic mercury often found

A

as metallic mercury (Hg) or as salts: Hg+ or Hg2+ often as Hg- chloride or sulfide

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19
Q

what is inorganic mercury often used for

A

batteries, plastics, fungicides

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20
Q

what are 2 bad things about inorganic mercury (general)

A

toxic, corrosive

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21
Q

what is the primary route of inorganic mercury entry

A

oral

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22
Q

what is oral entry of inorganic mercury absorption

A

poor, 10%

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23
Q

what is cinnabar

A

mercury sulfide

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24
Q

besides oral, how else can inorganic mercury enter the body

A

through skin

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25
where does inorganic mercury accumulate + how
renal tubules via OATs
26
how does inorganic mercury accumulate in the renal tubules
via OATs
27
what is CNS penetration of inorganic mercury like (2)
very little because of low lipophilicity | -but slow elimination & chronic exposure can result in toxicity
28
what are 3 forms of organic mercury
aryl (ring), short and long chain alkyl compounds
29
how is organic mercury (like methylmercury) easily absorbed + %
easily through GI (50-90%)
30
what happens once organic mercury enters via GI (where does it go)
it is distributed to most organs, can pass BBB and placenta
31
can organic mercury pass BBB
yes
32
can organic mercury cross placenta
yeah :(
33
what happens once organic mercury is absorbed (what does it turn into)
inorganic form
34
what is the formula for methylmercury
CH3Hg+
35
what is a way that methylmercury can cause damage
it has high affinity for SH groups so it replaces the hydrogen (damage proteins, enzymes)
36
what is the most common way to be exposed to methylmercury
seafood
37
how much dimethylmercury can kill you
a few millilitres
38
what are acutes symptoms of elemental mercury as vapour toxicirt
bronchial irritation, pneumonites, can be fatal | -mercury vapor triad too
39
what is the mercury vapor triad
tremors, gingivitis and erethism
40
what is erethism
memory loss, excitability, insomnia, depression, shyness
41
what are 4 acute symptoms for inorganic hg toxicity
abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
42
what happens to kidneys with inorganic hg toxicity (2)
acute binding to thiols, epithelial cell necrosis of proximal tubule
43
what happens with chronic low dose of inorganic mercury
immunologic glomerular disease, proteinurea (high MW)
44
what is the main type of toxicity with organic hg
neurotoxicity | cortex and cerebellum
45
where in the brain does organic hg effect the most
cortex and cerebellum
46
what are some bodily symptoms of organic hg toxicity
paresthesia, ataxia, weakness, coma, death
47
what is parathesia
numbness and tingling around mouth and lips (peripheral nerve damage)
48
what happens to the brain with organic hg toxicity (3)
edema, grey matter destruction, atrophy
49
list the following symptoms in order of least to most mercury required ``` death ataxia deafness paresthesia dysarthria (motor speech disorder) ```
``` paresthesia ataxia dysarthria (motor speech disorder) deafness death ```
50
what 3 major mechanisms are thought to cause methylmercury cytotoxicity
- increased inracellular Ca2+ - covalent modification of sulfhydryl groups - increase oxidative stress
51
how does methylmercury cytotoxicity cause increased intracellular Ca++
release from intracellular stores via muscarinic receptor activation on ER followed by increase entry thru membrane bound channels
52
what happens to SH groups with methylmercury cytotoxicity
they become covalently modified
53
how does oxidative stress happen with methylmercury cytotoxicity
increase ROS or decrease GSH (not via fenton)
54
how does methylmercury cytotoxicity cause fenton reaction
it doesntttttt
55
what is the type of cell death that happens with methylmercury cytotoxicity and why
it depends on the level of exposure
56
what are 3 drugs that are used for Hg poisoning
DMPS, BAL and penicillamine
57
what is DMPS
chelator
58
which type of hg poisoning is DMPS good for
inorganic
59
what administration is DMPS
oral
60
what can DMPS do (2)
- penetrate into kidney cells to remove it | - remove mercury in some tissues (not brain)
61
can DMPS remove mercury from brain
no, but it might decrease neurotoxicity in chronic exposure
62
what is BAL used for (what type of Hg poisoning)
inorganic but not organic
63
what can BAL do
remove inorganic from kidneys
64
what is bad about BAL
injections are painful
65
what is penicillamine used for + how
chelator for methylmercury and mercury vapour
66
what happens to blood mercury levels with DMPS
decrease
67
what happens to urine mercury levels with DMPS
increase initially

PMCOL 303 (25 decks)

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