Ciprofloxacin: a novel therapeutic agent for iron overload?

Major thalassemia is one of the hematological diseases requiring multiple blood transfusions, which results in iron overload in the liver, heart and other organs. Current iron chelation therapy consists of intravenous (IV) deferoxamine and oral deferasirox and deferiprone. Although these chelators are effective, many side effects are reported. In the present study, the iron-chelating effect of ciprofloxacin with good oral absorption was investigated.

Thirty male albino Wistar rats were used for the study. Ciprofloxacin (7 or 14 mg/kg per day) was administered simultaneously with iron (0.03 g/kg per day) or after one-month administration of iron. Ciprofloxacin effect on iron absorption in the liver and heart was studied carefully using atomic absorption.

A significant decrease in the liver and heart iron following the ciprofloxacin (14 mg/kg per day) administration was observed, when compared with the control group. This ciprofloxacin-induced tissue iron depletion was more pronounced when it was administered simultaneously with iron, when it was administered for a longer duration (2 months rather than 1 month) and when it was given in higher doses (14 mg/kg per day).

Administration of ciprofloxacin may help to decrease the burden of parenteral administration, thereby improving compliance and also the life expectancy of thalassemic patients.