Copper for treatment of Wilson's disease have been investigated for use in cancer therapy. Copper is an essential trace element in plants and animals, but not all microorganisms. The human body contains copper at a level of about 1.4 to 2.1 mg per kg of body mass. Copper is absorbed in the gut, then transported to the liver bound to albumin. After processing in the liver, copper is distributed to other tissues in a second phase, which involves the protein ceruloplasmin, carrying the majority of copper in blood. Ceruloplasmin also carries the copper that is excreted in milk, and is particularly
Mechanism of anoxic depolarization in the brain infarction, the release of glutamate and aspartate into the extracellular space causes an uncontrollable intracellular mobilization of Ca, mainly through the NMDA receptors. This is a critical stage in the development of neuronal damage, because it is the Ca overload that gives rise to several downstream cascades of events that lead to necrotic neuronal death, or to apoptosis, including free radical and nitric oxide productions that cause damage to the membrane. Another cytotoxic event that follows anoxic depolarization is lactate accumulation and acidosis as a result of glycolysis, which causes damage to the mitochondria. Ischemic insult also causes blood-brain barrier