The influence of deferiprone (L1) and deferoxamine on iron and essential element tissue level and parameters of oxidative status in dietary iron-loaded mice.

The seven week feeding of a diet enriched with 0.5% TMH-ferrocene to male mice was used in this study to produce an iron-overload model in experimental animals for evaluating the effect of deferoxamine (DFO) and deferiprone (L1) on tissue-stored iron, induced lipid peroxidation (LP) and parameters of oxidative status. The iron concentration in the liver reached 600% of the level in control animals. The administration of seven doses of deferoxamine (DFO) i.p. and deferiprone (L1) p.o. (0.72 mmol/kg b.w., every 48 h) during 9th and 10th week significantly decreased the liver, kidneys and heart iron level in both iron-loaded and control mice. The DFO and L1 treatment also equally attenuated lipid peroxidation and increased the GSH level in the liver of iron loaded mice. The glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and catalase activity were not affected by iron loading, however, both DFO and L1 caused a decrease of GSH-Px activity.