D-Penicillamine, a reducing and chelating agent, is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. It is less toxic than the L-enantiomer. Due to its ability to chelate copper and zinc ions, which are involved in Aβ 1-42 accumulation in the brain, D-penicillamine bound to carriers may find use in the therapy of Alzheimer’s disease.
The amino acid is a characteristic degradation product of penicillin-type antibiotics.