Dose response studies using desferrioxamine and orally active chelators in a mouse model.

59Fe excretion studies in response to different doses (4-9 mg) of three N-substituted 3-hydroxypyrid-4-one chelators, (1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one, 1-ethyl-2-methyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one, 1-propyl-2-methyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one), and desferrioxamine in iron overloaded 59Fe lactoferrin labelled mice (40 +/- 4 g) have shown that the former chelators, when administered intraperitoneally and intragastrically, caused comparable 59Fe excretions to intraperitoneal desferrioxamine of equivalent doses. No apparent ill effects were observed when doses of 300 mg/kg were administered for 24 d.