Fate of haem after parenteral administration of haem arginate to rabbits

Rabbits were injected either intravenously or intramuscularly with [14C]haem arginate and [59Fe]haem arginate (haem 5 mg kg-1). The main part (80%) of AUCINF of labelled haem was associated with the beta-phase, T1/2 being about 6 h. Only 1% of the haem dose had been taken up by the red blood cells. In contrast, the iron moiety from the haem molecule was effectively utilized. Thirty days post-injection of [59Fe]haem arginate, 40% of the dose after intravenous injection and 60% after intramuscular injection was circulating with the red cells. Radioactivity was shown to concentrate in the liver, where haem is mainly metabolized and eliminated. An accumulation of haem in the adrenals was also evident. Haem itself did not concentrate in the bone marrow, and a negligible amount of radioactivity was recovered from brain, implying a poor penetration of the blood brain barrier.