INFLUENCE OF IRON OVERLOAD ON MANGANESE, ZINC, AND COPPER CONCENTRATION IN RAT-TISSUES IN-VIVO - STUDY OF LIVER, SPLEEN, AND BRAIN

Although hemochromatosis and pathological situations due to chronic ir on overload have been extensively described, there is little informati on about the influence of iron on other trace elements in the cell. Th e aim of this study was to investigate changes in the concentration of zinc, manganese, and copper in the liver, spleen, and brain of rats a fter iron overload. Iron overload in Wistar rats was achieved by iron- supplemented diet or by intraperitoneal or intravenous injection of po lymaltose iron. Iron, zinc, manganese, and copper were determined by a tomic absorption spectrophotometry. Iron overload in rats, regardless of the route of its application, resulted in an increase not only of i ron but also of zinc and manganese in the liver and the spleen, wherea s the content of these metals in the brain did not change. The copper content of the liver, spleen, and brain remained the same after iron o verload. The increase of zinc and manganese in the liver and spleen fo llowing iron overload was probably a result not only of increased inte stinal absorption but also of increased uptake from the cell. This is also supported by the fact that no increase in the zinc and manganese concentrations occurred in the brain since, despite iron overload, the iron content remained constant.