Iron detoxification by haemoperfusion through deferoxamine-conjugated agarose-polyacrolein microsphere beads.

The natural iron chelator deferoxamine was bonded to agarose-polyacrolein microsphere beads (APAMB). This novel deferoxamine-conjugated APAMB (DCA), when used as the sorbent in a plasma/haemoperfusion system, showed specific and rapid removal of iron from plasma and blood in vitro; in vivo experiments also showed specific iron removal. The advantages of this sorbent are minimal damage to biocompounds during haemoperfusion, high capacity and specificity to iron, and the possibility of reuse.