Prevention of indium intoxication by ferric dextran.

Experiments on the rat indicate that intravenous administration of indium chloride produces severe hepatic necroses with fatal icterus within a few days. These actions can be prevented by the prophylactic administration of ferric dextran. This protective effect of the iron compound must be largely specific since it could not be duplicated by pretreatment with any of a large series of other agents. The possible mechanism of the protective effect is briefly discussed.