Studies on the Metabolism of Ferric Iron instillated into Vein Part 2. The Effects of the Venous Instillation of Various Iron Compounds on the Recovery from Anemia in Phenylhydrazin Anemic Rabbits and its Influences on Hemosiderosis

In the phenylhydrazin anemia induced by the author's method a protracted and persistent anemia, an increase in the number of reticulocytes, a marked loss of the body weight, and striking hemosiderosis in the liver and other organs, could be observed. The author observed the manner of the recovery from anemia and the changes in hemosiderosis in these anemic animal after injection of such substances as ferritrat, ferrobalt, gluferricon, gelatin iron (kindly supplied by Dainihon Seiyaku K. K.) serum iron colloid (S. I. C.) prepared by mixing homologus serum with FeCl(8). Besides these, similar experiments were carried on the phenylhydrazin anemic rabbits Whose reticulo-endthelial system had been blocked with carbon black. As the results, in the case of daily injection of 0.5mg. of such an iron compound per day, S. I. C. proves to be the most effective on the recovery of anemia, followed by ferritrat, ferrobalt, gelatin iron, and gluferricon in the descending order. As for the decrease in reticulocyte number, it occurs in about the same order as above. As for the recovery of hemosiderosis S. I. C. acts most effectively followed by ferritrat, but others hardly have any effect. When 10mg. a day is given twice during the period of 10 days. The recoveries of anemia are delayed comparing to those given 0.5mg. daily. Saying from the last series of experiment only anemia recovers more rapidly with gelatin iron or ferritrat than others, but no recovery of hemosiderosis can be recognized in the liver. However, in this instance the amount of liver ferritin is highest when S. I. C. is given followed by ferritrat, ferrobalt, gluferricon and gelatin iron in the descending order. In the rabbits whose R. E. S. is blocked by carbon black, the iron injection can not help to recover any of these disturbances. From these results, for iron there seems to be a fairly great difference in entering into the iron metabolic cycle according to the chemical structure of iron compounds, and in the case of the most effective ones like S. I. C. reticulocytes decrease in number along with the recovery of anemia; the amount of ferritin in the tissues increase; and hemosiderosis recovers markedly. However, as these changes do not occur when the reticulo-endothelial system is blocked, it is believed that the reticulo-endothelial cells play an important role in there changes. Furthermore, a smaller amount of iron injected daily is utilized much better than a large dose of iron given at one time.