Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The focus of pathological (toxic) action of metals in the human body and the role of galvanic currents in its formation

  • Published:
Human Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Chronic influence of metals on the human body differs from their acute toxic effect. In some individuals subjected to a long-term chronic impact of low doses of metals, chronic inflammatory diseases, including oncological diseases, develop against a background of neurological symptoms. Today, the overwhelming majority of the population older than 40–50 years carry metal alloys in the form of dental prostheses and various implants in the body. Because of metal corrosion, an increased concentration of ions is formed in the body of these subjects. Galvanic currents induced in the presence of any metals promote corrosion and the transfer of metal ions in the body. If these currents are sufficiently strong (when the potential difference is more than 150 mV), the development of local inflammatory pathologies due to the concentration of metal ions in their foci is stimulated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Luzhnikov, E.A., Klinicheskaya toksikologiya. Uchebnometodicheskoe posobie po obshchei khimii dlya studentov lechebnykh fakul’tetov (Clinical Toxicology. Tutorial-Methodical Aid for General Chemistry for Students of Curative Faculties), Moscow: Meditsina, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Levina, E.N., Obshchaya toksikologiya metallov (General Metal Toxicology), Moscow: Medgiz, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Soghoian, S. and Sinert, R.H., Toxicity Heavy Metals, Med. Toxicol., 2009, no. 5, p. 11.

  4. Geurtsen, W., Biocompatibility of Dental Casting Alloys, Crit. Rev. Oral Biol. Med., 2002, vol. 13, no. 1, p. 71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Metzler, D.E., Biochemistry: The Chemical Reactions of Living Cells, New York: Academic, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Orlov, D.S., Tyazhelye metally (Heavy Metals), Moscow: Metallurgiya, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Halbach, S., Vogt, S., Khler, W., et al., Blood and Urine Mercury Levels in Adult Amalgam Patients of a Randomized Controlled Trial, Environ. Res., 2008, vol. 107, no. 1, p. 69.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mutter, J., Naumann, J., Walach, H., and Daschner, F., Amalgam Risk Assessment with Coverage of References up to 2005, Gesundheitswesen, 2005, vol. 67, no. 3, p. 204.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Melchart D., Vogt S., Köhler W., et al. Treatment of Health Complaints Attributed to Amalgam, JDR, 2008, vol. 87, no. 4, p. 349.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Enestrm, S. and Hultman, P., Does Amalgam Affect the Immune System? A Controversial Issue, Int. Arch Allergy Immunol., 1995, vol. 106, p. 180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Stejskal, J. and Stejskal, V., The Role of Metals in Autoimmune Diseases and the Link to Neuroendocrinology, Geo-Mar. Lett., 1999, vol. 20, p. 345.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Meurman, J.H., Sanz, M., and Janket, S.J., Oral Health, Ther Osclerrosis, and Cardiovascular Disease, CROBM, 2004, vol. 15, no. 6, p. 403.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Epstein, S.E., The Multiple Mechanisms by Which Infection May Contribute to Atherosclerosis Development and Course, Circ. Res., 2002, vol. 90, no. 2, p. 367.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Epstein, S.E., Zhu, J., Najafi, A.H., and Burnett, M.S., Insights into the Role of Infection in Atherogenesis and in Plaque Rupture, Circulation, 2009, vol. 119, p. 3133.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Gabrielli, M., Santarelli, L., and Gasbarrini, A., Role for Chronic Infections in Atherosclerosis?, Circulation, 2002, vol. 106, p. 32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Noda, M., Wataha, J.C., Lockwood, P.E., et al., Sublethal, 2-Week Exposures of Dental Material Components Alter TNF-Alpha Secretion of THP-1 Monocytes, Dent. Mater., 2003, vol. 19, no. 2, p. 101.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Dastych, J., Walczak-Drzewiecka, A., Wyczolkowska, J., and Metcalfe, D.D., Murine Mast Cells Exposed to Mercuric Chloride Release Granule-Associated N-Acetyl-Beta-D-Hexosaminidase and Secrete IL-4 and TNF-Alpha, J. Allergy Clin. Immunol., 1999, vol. 103, no. 6, p. 1108.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Rowley, B. and Monestier, M., Mechanisms of Heavy Metal-Induced Autoimmunity Mol. Immunol., 2005, vol. 42, no. 7, p. 833.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Havarinasab, S. and Hultman, P., Organic Mercury Compounds and Autoimmunity, Autoimmun. Rev., 2005, vol. 4, no. 5, p. 270.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Havarinasab, S., Bjrn, E., Ekstrand, J., and Hultman, P., Dose and Hg Species Determine the T-Helper Cell Activation in Murine Autoimmunity, Toxicology, 2007, vol. 229, p. 23.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Fourni, G.J., Mas, M., Cautain, B., et al., Induction of Autoimmunity Through Bystander Effects. Lessons Immunological Disorders Induced by Heavy Metals, J. Autoimmun., 2001, vol. 16, no. 3, p. 319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Pollard, K. and Hultman, K.M., Gold- and Silver-Induced Murine Autoimmunity-Requirement for Cytokines and CD28 in Murine Heavy Metal-Induced Autoimmunity, Clin. Exp. Immunol., 2009, vol. 155, no. 3, p. 567.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Valko, M., Morris, H., and Cronin, M.T., Metals, Toxicity and Oxidative Stress, Curr. Med. Chem., 2005, no. 12, p. 1161.

  24. Rojas, E., Herrera, L.A., Poirier, L.A., and Ostrosky-Wegman, P., Are Metals Dietary Carcinogens?, Mutat. Res., 1999, vol. 443, p. 157.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lyon, H., Waterstrat, R.M., and Paffenbarger, G., Soft Tissue Response to Implants of Gallium Alloys and Silver Amalgam Alloys, J. Am. Dent. Assoc., 1966, vol. 72, p. 659.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Leonard, A. and Lauwerys, R., Mutagenicity, Carcinogenicity and Teratogenicity of Beryllium, Mutat. Res., 1987, vol. 186, p. 35.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Hayes, R.B., The Carcinogenicity of Metals in Humans, Cancer Causes Control, 1997, vol. 8, p. 371.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Hartwig, A., Current Aspects in Metal Genotoxicity, Biometals, 1995, vol. 8, p. 3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Hadfield, M.G., Adera, T., Smith, B., et al., Human Brain Tumors and Exposure to Metal and Non-Metal Elements: a Case-Control Study, J. Environ. Pathol. Toxicol. Oncol., 1998, vol. 17, p. 11.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Fishbein, L., Overview of Analysis of Carcinogenic and/or Mutagenic Metals in Biological and Environmental Samples. I. Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium and Selenium, Int. J. Environ. Anal. Chem., 1984, vol. 17, p. 113.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Ashby, J., Ishidate, M., Stoner, G.D., et al., Studies on the Genotoxicity of Beryllium Sulphate in vivo and in vitro, Mutat. Res., 1990, vol. 240, p. 217.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Aller, A.J., The Clinical Significance of Beryllium, J. Trace Elem. Electrolytes Health Dis., 1990, vol. 4, p. 16.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Groth, D.H., Kommineni, C., and Mackay, G.R., Carcinogenicity of Beryllium Hydroxide and Alloys, Environ. Res., 1980, vol. 21, p. 63.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Lebedev, K.A. and Ponyakina, I.D., Immunologiya obrazraspoznayushchikh retseptorov (integral’naya immunologiya) (Immunology of Image-Recognizing Receptors (Integral Immunology), Moscow: Librokom, 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Lebedev, K.A. and Ponyakina, I.D., Immunophysiological Mechanisms of the Origin and Maintenance of Tumor Growth in Humans, Fiziol. Chel., 2010, vol. 36, no. 4, p. 5 [Human Physiol. (Engl. Transl.), 2010, vol. 36, no. 4, p. 373].

    Google Scholar 

  36. Malt, U.F., Nerdrum, P., Oppedal, B., et al., Physical and Mental Problems Attributed to Dental Amalgam Fillings: a Descriptive Study of 99 Self-Referred Patients Compared with 272 Controls, Psychosom. Med., 1997, vol. 59, no. 1, p. 32.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Bezanilla, F., The Voltage Sensor in Voltage-Dependent Ion Channels, Physiol. Rev., 2000, vol. 80, no. 2, p. 555.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Zhirmunskaya, E.A., Metody klinicheskoi neirofiziologii (Methods of Clinical Neurophysiology), Leningrad: Meditsina, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Kulaichev, A.P., Komp’yuternaya elektrofiziologiya (Computer Electrophysiology), Moscow: Mosk. Gos. Univ., 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Lebedev, K.A., Mitronin, A.V., and Ponyakina, I.D., Neperenosimost’ zuboproteznykh materialov (Intolerance of Prosthodontic Materials), Moscow: URSS, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Sagan, N.N., Lebedev, K.A., and Ponyakina, I.D., Detection of Galvanic Currents in Mouth Cavity, Stomatologiya, 2006, no. 1, p. 35.

  42. Lebedev, K.A., Maksimovskii, Yu.M., Sagan, N.N., and Mitronin, A.V., Principles of Determination of Galvanic Currents in Mouth Cavity, Stomatologiya, 2007, no. 3, p. 11.

  43. Roosterman, D., Goerge, T., and Schneider, S.W., The Skin as a Neuroimmunoendocrine Organ, Physiol. Rev., 2006, vol. 86, p. 1309.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Lebedev, K.A. and Ponyakina, I.D., Immunogramma v klinicheskoi praktike (vvedenie v prikladnuyu immunologiyu) (Immunogram in Clinical Practice: Introduction to Applied Immunology), Moscow: Nauka, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Fridenshtein, A.Ya. and Luriya, E.A., Kletochnye osnovy krovetvornogo mikrookruzheniya (Cellular Bases of Hemopoietic Surrounding), Moscow: Meditsina, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Moscow State Medical and Dental University, Moscow, 103473, Russia

    K. A. Lebedev & I. D. Ponyakina

Authors
  1. K. A. Lebedev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. I. D. Ponyakina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Original Russian Text © K.A. Lebedev, I.D. Ponyakina, 2011, published in Fiziologiya Cheloveka, 2011, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 90–97.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lebedev, K.A., Ponyakina, I.D. The focus of pathological (toxic) action of metals in the human body and the role of galvanic currents in its formation. Hum Physiol 37, 471–477 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1134/S036211971104013X

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S036211971104013X

Keywords

Search

Navigation