Comparative study between the effects of digitoxin versus digoxin on ferrokinetics

ABSTRACT

Nineteen male rabbits were included in the present study and classified into three groups to study the effect of repeated oral daily administration of digitoxin [10 mug/kg body wt.] or digoxin [50 mug/kg body wt.] for four weeks on some liver functions [SGPT, SGOT, total serum bilirubin, total serum proteins, serum alkaline phosphatase and prothrombin activity], ferrokinetic parameters [basal plasma iron, post absorption plasma iron tolerance curve, TIBC, UIBC and percent saturation of transferrin], hematological parameters [red cell count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit value and red cell indices] and histochemical parameters [iron contents and peroxidase enzyme activity in both the liver and kidney]. The results showed that digoxin produced significant decrease of basal plasma iron, post absorption curve and percentage of saturation of transferrin with significant increase of UIBC. Digoxin produced also mild reduction of iron contents and peroxidase enzyme activity in both the liver and kidney. Digitoxin produced insignificant changes in all the studied parameters. The findings of the present study may suggest that oral administration of digoxin interferes with some ferrokinetics, mainly the intestinal absorption of iron. The effect of digoxin on ferrokinetics seems to affect the cellular iron containing enzymes. The addition of iron therapy was recommended, whenever possible, to patients receiving digoxin for a long time