The interactions of desferrioxamine and hydroxypyridone compounds with haemoglobin and erythrocytes

The iron chelator desferrioxamine has been applied in many studies of pathological states by several investigators. The resulting decreases in cellular and tissue damage have been interpreted as an indication of the involvement of iron-mediated radical species. Although the nature and location of the iron species have not been identified, the assumption has often been made that desferrioxamine is able to enter cells. This paper reports investigations of the ability of desferrioxamine to cross the erythrocyte membrane in comparison with that of specific hydroxypyridone iron chelators by assessing their interaction with haemoglobin.