Aluminium dependent human diseases, and chelating properties of aluminium chelators for bio-medical applications

The aim of this chapter is to give a general view on the current status of the role of aluminium in human health and disease. The main aspects of aluminium metabolism in humans are covered, summarizing the state of knowledge on the absorption, transport, tissue distribution, and excretion of aluminium, giving particular emphasis to the main metabolic pathways of this metal ion in the bones and in the brain. Some features concerning the solution chemistry of aluminium are considered, giving special care to the speciation of aluminium hydroxides in municipal water and in water for dialysis. The function of different chelators utilized in clinical practice in the therapy of aluminium-depending diseases is discussed, providing some insight on the chelators recently proposed. As a last point the crystal structures of selected Al(III) complexes are presented and thoroughly discussed.