COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF CHRONIC IRON OVERLOAD USING IRON SUPPLEMENTS AT THE SUB-TOXIC DOSES

Iron supplements used for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia differ in a variety of safety. Unlike organic iron salts, inorganic iron compounds such as oxides, hydroxides and sulphates do not have high bioavailability and significantly increase the tissue load with insoluble iron oxides. This article presents the results of the experimental evaluation of iron supplementation on the basis of iron hydroxide in the composition of polymaltose complex and iron sulfate. Oral administration of iron sulfate for 2 months caused a chronic iron overload (systemic hemosiderosis) manifested as a histological parenchymal damage of liver, kidney and brain with hemosiderin, and increased blood alanine aminotransferase levels and protein levels in urine. Compared to iron sulfate, ferric (III) hydroxide polimaltosate has advantages for long-term use: hemosiderin deposits were absent in brain and kidney tissue; small hemosiderin deposits in the liver were observed only in intralobular sinus capillaries, but not in hepatocytes.

iron overload, hemosiderosis, iron sulfate, ferric (III) hydroxide polimaltosate