Clinical evaluation of desferrioxamine (DFO) for removal of thallium ions in rat

An investigation was conducted to evaluate the ability of DFO following the administration of thallium salt in male Wistar rats. Thallium was introduced to several groups of weanling male Wistar rats via different means, through drink, food and intraperitoneal injection. A control group was fed on a diet containing a normal level of iron. After a period of 30 days, all the rats administered thallium were severely anemic and showed toxicity symptoms through loss of hair, an increase in thallium and a decrease in iron levels in the blood. Chelation therapy was carried out to remove the toxic element from the body. The ability of desferrioxamine (DFO) in removing thallium was investigated by injection of this chelator for one week to the remaining rats of similar groups. The results showed that the thallium level present in the blood was significantly reduced and, at the same time, the iron concentration returned to the normal level. It was concluded that DFO chelator is able to remove thallium from the body and could be used for the treatment of complications and eradication of symptoms of thallium intoxication.