Effect of iron(III) chitosan intake on the reduction of serum phosphorus in rats

Because of the widespread use of aluminium- and calcium-containing phosphate binders for the control of hyperphosphataemia in patients with end-stage renal failure, an iron(III) chitosan complex was synthesised and fed to rats to measure its effect on serum phosphorus and calcium, intestinal phosphate binding and phosphate absorption. Thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly selected and distributed into a baseline group (n = 6), a control group (n = 8 (days 0-15), n = 8 (days 16-30)) and a treatment group (n = 8 (days 0-15), n = 8 (days 16-30)). The control groups ingested AIN-76 diet mix with a 1% w/w fibre content; however, the treatment groups had the fibre content completely substituted with iron(III) chitosan. The mean weights of the treated rats were slightly lower from 15 days (not significant); but overall, rat growth was not stunted in the treatment groups. The serum phosphorus levels of the treated group (n = 8) were sig nificantly reduced after 15 days (P = 0.004; control: 5.7+/-0.9 mg dL(-1); treatment: 4.4+/-0.5 mg dL(-1); 95% CI of difference: 0.5-2.2) and 30 days (P = 0.002; control: 5.5+/-0.9 mg dL(-1); treatment = 4.1+/-0.6 mg dL(-1) 95% CI of difference: 0.6-2.3) as compared with the respective control group. The serum calcium-phosphorus product was 62.0+/-12.1 mg(2) dL(-2) for the control and 45.1+/-6.6 mg(2) dL(-2) for the treatment group after 30 days (P = 0.004). The serum iron concentration of the treatment group did not differ from the baseline value after 15 and 30 days, but the treatment group was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05) after 30 days. The faeces phosphorus levels (mg day(-1)) were higher (P < 0.01) and its iron content was much higher (P < 0.01) for the treated group. The urine phosphorus (mg kg(-1)) was not significantly reduced for the treated group, but the mean was consistently less. The kidney and liver weights of both groups were similar, but the phosphorus content of the kidney (mg(g kidney)(-1)) was higher for the treated group after 30 days (P = 0.041; control, 4.2+/-1.2 mg g(-1) vs treatment, 5.6+/-1.4 mg g(-1). Because iron(III) chitosan had a high phosphorus-binding capacity of 308 (mg P) per gram of Fe3+ for both the in-vitro (pH 7.5) and in-vivo studies, which is greater than nearly all commonly used phosphate binders, and a small net phosphorus absorption difference of 3.7 mg day(-1), it is an efficient phosphate binder for lowering serum phosphate levels without increasing serum calcium levels.