Oxidative stress and antioxidant response to subacute and subchronic iron overload in Wistar rat

Iron saccharate complex ISC is an iron supplement used to optimize erythropoiesis in cases of iron deficiencies. Because of the lack of major mechanisms of iron excretion, excess iron unbound to protective molecules is believed to be involved in catalyzing the generation of reactive oxygen species and induction of oxidative stress. This study employed ISC for the purpose of inducing iron overload and hence investigating the consequent iron toxicity, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant extent in a murine species. Male Wistar rats were given iron as intraperitoneal injections of ISC in subacute (0.2 mg Fe kg−1 for 2 weeks) and subchronic (0.1 mg Fe kg−1 for 4 weeks) doses. In iron-overloaded rats, enhanced hepatic iron accumulation (P > 0.001) attended by increased serum concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) (P > 0.001) and activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase SOD, catalase CAT and glutathione peroxidase GPx) (P > 0.001) was pointed out. The demonstrated antioxidant boost is attributed to a sense of equilibrium prompted by the potential of iron-induced oxidative stress to modify antioxidant defense capacity and to modulate susceptibility to oxidative stress. Rats seemed to constantly suffer from oxidative stress based on the consistent rise in MDA that was not overwhelmed by the elevated antioxidant input. The current findings are of informative value in drawing attention to the health hazards of applying higher doses of the commercially used iron supplement ISC. Data are virtually significant in elucidating the higher magnitude of subchronic than subacute iron overload in initiating oxidative stress and antioxidant defense. Both pathways proceeded in a time-dependent rather than dose-dependent manner.