Ferrous sulfate Other names: Melanterite Szomolnokite Iron vitriol Iron(II) sulfate Ferrous sulfate Green vitriol

Ferrous sulphate is a co-factor of various enzymes necessary for the transfer of energy (e.g. cytochrome oxidase, xanthine oxidase). Iron is also present in hemoglobin and myoglobin, which are essential for the transport and use of oxygen.

Ferrous sulfate is used in the treatment of iron deficiency anaemias.

Iron preparations have no intrinsic therapeutic activity except as a nutrient source: their use without evidence of iron deficiency, or reasonable expectation of its occurrence, is to be deprecated. Excessive iron is toxic and haemochromatosis can result from chronic injection of iron preparations used as tonics, especially in individuals with undiagnosed blood disorders. Patients with chronic anaemia are particularly at risk from iron storage disease. Recently a severe iron overload myopathy has been described in patients given prophylactic iron indiscriminately while receiving haemodialysis. Genetic factors probably contribute to the risk of an iron storage disease.

It should be clear that although iron deficiency is easily treated, its detection does not constitute a complete diagnosis. Every effort should be made to determine why the patient has a state of negative iron balance. Attention should be given to hidden sources of haemorrhage (which may indicate serious urinary or gastrointestinal conditions) and also the possibility of malabsorption of iron caused by latent disease of the small intestine.

Iron is irregularly and incompletely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, the main sites of absorption being the duodenum and the jejunum. Absorption is aided by the acid secretion of the stomach or by dietary acids and is more readily affected when the iron is in the ferrous state or is part of the haem complex (haem-iron unit). Absorption is also increased in conditions of iron deficiency or in the fasting state but decreased if the body stores are overloaded. Around 5-15% of the iron ingested in food is absorbed.

Following absorption, the majority of iron is bound to transferrin and transported to the bone marrow where it is incorporated into haemoglobin. The remainder is stored within ferritin or haemosiderin or is incorporated into myoglobin with smaller amounts occurring in haem-containing enzymes or in plasma bound to transferrin. Only very small amounts are excreted as the body reabsorbs the iron after the haemoglobin has broken down.

Not applicable.