the use of chelation therapy for
If you do a google using "mercury toxicity, glutathione, chelation" you can get lots of hits.
http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=86&i=1Glutathione protects against mercury toxicity.
Glutathione (USH)
Glutathione is an important antioxidant amino acid which protects against mercury toxicity. Glutathione is a tripeptide, made from the combination of three amino acids; L-glycine, L-glutaniic acid, and L-cysteine. Studies have shown that GSH levels are decreased during cases of mercury toxicity. It is interesting to note that GSH deficiency resulting from genetic errors mimic the acute mercury toxicity effects of Minamata disease. Without adequate OSH, mercury from the environment cannot be detoxified and eliminated.
http://www.nzhealth.net.nz/poisons/mercury2.shtml
DMSA has three distinct disadvantages relative to DMPS.
First, DMPS appears to remain in the body for a longer time than DMSA.83
Secondly, DMPS acts more quickly than DMSA, probably because its distribution is both intracellular and extracellular.84
Thirdly, preparations of DMPS are available for intravenous or intramuscular use, while DMSA is available only in oral form.85 Since succinic acid is used in the citric acid cycle inside the cell, DMSA has been suspected for displacing mercury towards the inside of the cell86 after binding mercury somewhere on its way from the intestine to the succinic acid deficient cell.
We propose therefore that DMSA be used late in the mercury elimination process, after the connective tissue mercury load has been reduced with DMPS. The standard dose of DMSA is 5-10 mg/kg twice a day for two weeks. The DMSA is then stopped for two weeks and then the cycle is repeated.
Chlorella
Algae and other aquatic plants possess the capacity to take up toxic trace metals from their environment, resulting in an internal concentration greater than those of the surrounding waters.87 This property has been exploited as a means for treating industrial effluent containing metals before they are discharged, and to recover the bioavailable fraction of the metal.88
Chlorella has been shown to develop resistance to cadmium contaminated waters by synthesizing metal-binding proteins.89 A book written for the mining industry, Biosorption of Heavy Metals,90 details how miners use these organisms to increase the yield of precious metals in old mines. The mucopolysaccharides in chlorella's cell wall absorb rather large amounts of toxic metals similar to an ion exchange resin.
Chlorella also enhances mobilization of mercury compartmentalized in non-neurologic structures such as the gut wall,91 muscles, ligaments, connective tissue, and bone.
High doses of chlorella have been found to be very effective in Germany for mercury elimination.92
Chlorella is an important part of the systemic mercury elimination program, as approximately 90% of the mercury is eliminated through the stool. Using large doses of chlorella facilitates fecal mercury excretion. After the intestinal mercury burden is lowered, mercury will more readily migrate into the intestine from other body tissues from where chlorella will effectively remove it.
Chlorella is not tolerated by about one-third of people due to gastrointestinal distress. Chitosan can be effectively used as an alternative in these individuals. Chitosan makes up most of the hull of insects shellfish and also bind metals like mercury from the lumen of the intestines.93 94 95
Cilantro
Omura determined that cilantro could mobilize mercury and other toxic metals rapidly from the CNS.96 97
Cilantro mobilizes mercury, aluminum, lead and tin stored in the brain and in the spinal cord and moves it into the connective tissues. The mobilized mercury appears to be either excreted via the stool, the urine, or translocated into more peripheral tissues.
The mechanism of action is unknown. Cilantro alone often does not remove mercury from the body; it often only displaces the metals form intracellularly or from deeper body stores to more superficial structures, from where it can be easier removed with the previously described agents. The use of cilantro with DMSA or DMPS has produced an increase in motor nerve function.98
Potentiating Agents
Adequate sulfur stores are necessary to facilitate mercury's binding to sulfhydryl groups.
Many individual's sulfur stores are greatly depleted which impairs sulfur containing chelating or complexing agents, such as DMPS or DMSA, effectiveness as they are metabolized and utilized as a source of sulfur. Sulfur containing natural substances, like garlic99 100 and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) may also serve as an effective agent to supply organic sulfur for detoxification.101 Fresh garlic is preferred as it has many other recently documented benefits.102 103 104 The garlic is consumed just below the threshold of social unacceptability, which is typically 1-2 cloves per day.
Antioxidants
Vitamin E doses of 400 I.U per day have been shown to have a protective effect when the brain is exposed to methyl-mercury.68 105 Selenium, 200-400 mcg daily,106 107 108 109 is a particularly important trace mineral in mercury elimination and should be used for most patients.
Selenium facilitates the function of glutathione, which is also important in mercury detoxification.110 111 112 Some clinicians find repetitive high dose intravenous glutathione useful, especially in neurologically compromised patients.
There is a suggestion in a rat model that lipoic acid may also be useful,113 but some clinicians are concerned about the potential of lipoic acid to bring mercury into the brain early in the stages of chelation, similar to DMSA and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which has also been used in mercury chelation.114 Doses larger than 50-100 mg per day should be used with caution.
Vitamin C is also a helpful supplement for mercury elimination as it will tend to mobilize mercury from intracellular stores
http://www.mercola.com/article/mercury/mercury_elimination.htmA site with info about Mercury detox
http://www.homemakingcottage.com/health/mercury_detoxification.htmanother iste with Q&A about Mercury, Autism and Chelation
http://www.geocities.com/autism_mercury/faq.htm