Copper and Zinc in Inflammatory and Degenerative Diseases

Abnormal metabolism and distribution of both copper and zinc occurs in many inflammatory and degenerative diseases. The pattern of these changes varies at different stages of these diseases and with differing types of conditions. The corollary to this situation is the possibility of using drugs or metal complexes to modify both the perturbed status of copper and zinc and thus the disease states. This text comprehensively reviews the clinical and experimental data on the changes in copper and zinc status in different diseases and the use of various complexes of these metals or drugs to treat a diversity of inflammatory and degenerative conditions.