Comparison of Deferoxamine, Activated Charcoal, and Vitamin C in ‎Changing the Serum Level of Fe in Iron Overloaded Rats

Background: Iron is an essential mineral for normal cellular physiology but its ‎overload can lead to cell injury. For many years, deferoxamine injection has been used ‎as an iron chelator for treatment of iron overload. The aim of this study is to compare ‎oral deferoxamine, activated charcoal, and vitamin C, as an absorbent factor of Fe, in ‎changing the serum level of iron in iron overload rats. ‎ Methods: In this experimental study, all groups were administered 150 mg iron dextran ‎orally by gavage. After eight hours, rats in the first group received oral deferoxamine ‎while those in the second and third groups received oral activated charcoal 1 mg/kg and ‎oral vitamin C 150 mg, respectively. Then, serum levels of iron ware measured in all ‎rats.‎ Results: The mean serum level of iron in rats that received oral deferoxamine was ‎‎258.11±10.49 µg/dl, whereas mean levels of iron in charcoal and vitamin C groups were ‎‎380.88±11.21 µg/dl and 401.22±13.28 µg/dl, respectively. None of the measurements ‎were within safety limits of serum iron.‎ Conclusion: It seems that oral deferoxamine per se may not help physicians in the ‎management of cases presented with iron toxicity. Activated charcoal did not reduce ‎serum iron significantly in this study and further investigations may be warranted to ‎assess the potential clinical utility of its mixture with oral deferoxamine as an adjunct in ‎the clinical management of iron ingestions. ‎