Serum Prohepcidin and Iron Metabolism in Chloramphenicol-Induced Anaemia in Rats

Abstract

Prohepcidin is a precursor of hepcidin, a peptide hormone synthesized in the liver and considered to be the master regulator of iron metabolism. Chloramphenicol, a bacteriostatic antimicrobial, has a broad spectrum of
activity and known to cause reversible bone marrow suppression, aplastic anaemia amongst others. The study is aimed at investigating the regulatory mechanism of hepcidin in anaemia induced by chloramphenicol in wistar
rats. The intervention of Telfairia occidentalis on anaemia was also undertaken. Serum prohepcidin was measured by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Serum iron, ferritin, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and haematological parameters were determined using standard methods. Results show that levels of serum prohepcidin, iron, ferritin, haemoglobin and haematocrit were significantly decreased (P <0.05)
in chloramphenicol administered rats. Conversely, the total iron binding capacity was significantly increased (P<0.05) by chloramphenicol treatment when compared to control. Treatment with Telfairia occidentalis greatly enhanced the haemoglobin and haematocrit parameters, as well as the iron metabolism indicators. Humoral immunity of the rat models also received a boost with T. occidentalis ingestion. The implication of decreased levels of prohepcidin in iron deficiency anaemia by chloramphenicol and the role of T. occidentalis is discussed.