Studies on a New Intramuscular Haematinic for Piglet Anaemia

Abstract

In order to study some effects of a new haematinic for treatment of piglet anaemia, some basic studies on untreated animals have been performed. It has been shown that during the first weeks of their life, the piglets developed iron deficiency manifested in decreased haemoglobin and serum iron value and an increase of total and unsaturated iron-binding capacity of the serum. This increase was observed very soon after birth. The haematinic used in the study contains a complex of iron, dextrin, sorbitol, citric and lactic acid. The preparation is stable between pH 3.2–8.0 and in serum, it is hypertonic, does not produce haemolysis and has an intraperitoneal toxicity in mice of 570 mg Fe per kg body weight. Absorption from muscle takes place in two stages. Six hrs. after an intramuscular administration, 38.3 % of the administered dose is absorbed. Then a continuous slow absorption takes place and 6 days after administration 55.5 % has been removed from the injection site. After 8 weeks 97.0—99.3 % has been absorbed. During the first hour after administration there is an increase of iron in the serum exceeding the total iron-binding capacity of serum without saturation of the iron-binding capacity of the serum. Three hrs. after injection the animals' iron-binding capacity is saturated, but at that moment the value for iron in serum is decreasing. The utilization has been studied using two different dosages, namely 180 and 270 mg Fe per animal. It has been found that the lower dose increases the haemaglobin value for the animal during the first week after treatment, but after 2 weeks there will be a tendency towards a lower value. With the higher dosage there is an increase up to 3 weeks after administration. After that time there is a slight decrease during the following 2 weeks. Before detecting any decrease in the animals’ haemoglobin value, a decrease in serum iron value and an increase in the total iron binding capacity is observed. Absorption, utilization and dosage in piglets is discussed.