Follow-up studies on the effect of a single ferrous sulphate dose or ascorbic acid dose or both combined on hematological and sederophilic parameters in albino rats

In rats oral administration of a single dose of 12 mg Fe[++]/ kg. B.wt. caused a significant elevation in serum iron and was effective in maintaining high normal levels of blood Ht, Hb and RBCs count over a period of four weeks. Supplementation of the ferrous dose with 200 mg vitamin C augmented the increments in these hematological parameters. Vitamin C seems to favour not only intestinal iron absorption but possibly the incorporation of available iron into protoporphyrin during the process of haemsynthesis. Availability of haem could augment Hb synthesis to be incorporated in newly formed RBCs that may also be formed at increased rate, leading to increased blood Ht values