The effects of FeCl₃ and Fe-EDTA on the development of psoriasis.

The effects of FeCl₃ and Fe-EDTA on the development of psoriasis were studied in the mouse model of vaginal epithelium and tail epidermis. The mitoses of vaginal epithelial cell in female mice of their estrogenic stage and the formation of granular cell layers in male mouse tail scale were observed. Mice were randomly divided into eight groups and treated with normal saline, methotrexate, and different doses of two iron forms, FeCl₃ and Fe-EDTA, respectively, for 10 days. To explore the influence of FeCl₃ and Fe-EDTA on the excretion of Cu, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Se, the concentration of those elements in liver and kidney was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The different doses of FeCl₃ or Fe-EDTA could obviously inhibit the mitoses of vaginal epithelial cell (p< 0.05) and promote the formation of granular cell layers in mice tail scale (p < 0.05). No statistically significant results were found between the groups of FeCl₃ and Fe-EDTA, and between experimental groups and methotrexate group acted as the positive control (p>0.05). Compared with the negative group, the concentrations of Cu, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Se in liver and kidney of experimental groups and positive control group were not significantly changed (p > 0.05). FeCl₃ and Fe-EDTA are as effective as methotrexate on inhibiting hyperplasia of epidermal cells and increasing the formation of granular cell layers, and the concentrations of Cu, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Se in liver and kidney of experimental groups and positive control group were not significantly changed compared with the negative group, possibly retarding the development of psoriasis.