Effects of Fe2+, Fe3+ and desferrioxamine on paraquat accumulation by rabbit kidney cortex slices.

Effects of Fe2+, Fe3+ and desferrioxamine (DFO) on the accumulation of paraquat (PQ) into rabbit kidney cortical slices were studied. Fe3+ showed dose-dependent inhibition of PQ accumulation. Fe2+ had a more powerful stimulatory effect on the lipid peroxidation of cortical slices than Fe3+, but it did not reduce PQ accumulation. The addition of DFO made the inhibitory effect of Fe3+ on PQ accumulation more pronounced. These results suggest that Fe3+ is able to inhibit the accumulation of PQ independent of its peroxidative action, and that Fe(3+)-desferrioxamine (ferrioxamine) may serve as an antidote for the toxicity of PQ.