Wilson’s disease is caused by excessive accumulation of copper in the body (liver, brain, cornea) due to defective biliary copper excretion. Penicillamine is a chelating agent that binds copper with high affinity, forming a soluble complex that is excreted in the urine, thereby reducing the body’s copper burden and preventing/reversing copper-induced tissue damage (hepatic and neurological), making it a first-line treatment for Wilson’s disease.
