The drug penicillamine is primarily used to treat Wilson's disease (an inherited disorder affecting copper metabolism, causing cirrhosis and brain and eye problems) and rheumatoid arthritis.
When used to treat Wilson's disease, penicillamine works by removing copper from the body. Taking copper supplements while you are using penicillamine for this condition is not a good idea.
Long-term use of penicillamine can cause zinc deficiency.3 However, zinc can impair penicillamine absorption, so do not take zinc supplements during the 2 hours before or after your penicillamine dose.4
Penicillamine attaches to the mineral iron, which impairs the absorption of both substances.5,6 The solution: If you need iron supplements, do not take them during the 2 hours before or after your penicillamine dose.
1. Rumsby PC and Shepherd DM. The effect of penicillamine on vitamin B 6 function in man. Biochem Pharmacol 30: 3051–3053, 1981.
2. Pronsky Z (ed.). Powers and Moore's food medication interactions, 10th ed. Pottstown, PA: Food-Medication Interactions, 1997: 182.
3. Multicentre Trial Group. Controlled trial of D(-) penicillamine in severe rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet 1: 275–280, 1973.
4. Pronsky Z (ed.). Powers and Moore's food medication interactions, 10th ed. Pottstown, PA: Food-Medication Interactions, 1997: 182.
5. Campbell NR and Hasinoff BB. Iron supplements: a common cause of drug interactions. Br J Clin Pharmacol 31(3): 251–255, 1991.
6. Pronsky Z (ed.). Powers and Moore's food medication interactions, 10th ed. Pottstown, PA: Food-Medication Interactions, 1997: 182.
Last reviewed December 2015 by EBSCO CAM Review Board Last Updated: 12/15/2015
