Liver Iron Contents in Rats after Administration of Certain Iron Compounds

Abstract

The effect of consumption of certain iron compounds on liver iron deposition was studied in rats, in each case at 4 dietary iron levels ranging from 70 to 206 mg/100 g diet. In one of two series the basic diet was maize porridge meal, and in the other, a semisynthetic 'balanced' diet was fed. The siderogenicity of the iron compounds, when fed with maize porridge meal, was found to be in the following order: ferrous chloride> pulverised steel> pulverised cast iron>ferric chloride>ferric citrate=ferric lactate> ferric oxide. The relatively high siderotic effect of cast iron was reduced considerably when fed together with a semisynthetic 'balanced' diet. It was concluded that the presence of free iron particles in food, as well as the conditions prevailing in the gut as a result of consumption of a predominantly maize diet, are important contributing factors in the development of siderosis in the rat and most probably also in Blacks.

S. A fr. Med. J., 48, 505 (1974).