Liposome entrapped desferrioxamine and iron transporting ionophores: a new approach to iron chelation therapy.

Liposome-entrapped desferrioxamine was administered to iron-over-loaded 59Fe lavelled mice. When given orally or intraperitoneally entrapment did not enhance the effect of the chelator, but given intravenously liposomal desferrioxamine doubled the 59Fe excretion for a given dose of the drug, and excretion after a single dose continued for up to 3 d. In addition, liposomes containing ionophore A23187 administered concurrently with DTPA caused an excretion of 59Fe, whereas DTPA alone had no effect.