Investigation of physico-chemical properties of iron (III) succinylate protein and iron (III) polymaltosate hydroxide preparations
Authors:   Ural State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Belokonova Nadezhda A. , Tikhomirova Elena I. ,   Ural State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Kupriyanova Inessa N. ,   Ural State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
Published: November 2024

The variety of dosage forms of iron-containing drugs and the complex metabolism of iron in the body cause certain difficulties in prescribing the drug and analyzing its effectiveness. There are numerous clinical studies on the benefits of various oral iron preparations, however, there is no convincing clinical data to suggest the superiority of one particular iron preparation over another. When analyzing the literature on clinical studies of iron deficiency therapy with preparations based on iron (II) sulfate and complex salts of iron (III) polymaltose hydroxide ("Maltofer") and iron (III) succinylate protein ("Ferlatum"), there are conflicting data. As a rule, existing publications do not focus on the relationship between the physico-chemical properties of drugs and side effects, bioavailability. From the analysis of the literature data on clinical trials, it is advisable to note that side effects and bioavailability depend on the following physico-chemical properties of the preparations: – ability to hydrolyze Fe (II) and (III); – strength of the iron-containing compound; – redox and surface-active properties of Fe (II) and (III). In this work, for the first time, two preparations of trivalent complex iron salts were compared according to their physico-chemical properties. The objects of the study were the drugs "Maltofer" (iron (III) hydroxydopolymaltosate) and "Ferlatum" (iron (III) protein succinylate). The physicochemical properties were studied by methods of trilonometry, conductometry, stalagmometry, potentiometry, and iodometric titration. According to the results of the study, the following conclusions were obtained: – complex compounds that are part of the medicines "Maltofer" and "Ferlatum" are hydrolyzed. This suggests that the probability of a side effect in the form of constipation will be less when using the drug "Maltofer". – aqueous solutions of "Ferlatum" have lower values of surface tension, which will contribute to better penetration of the drug through the cell membrane. – complex compounds of iron (III) hydroxydopolymaltosate and iron (III) protein succinylate are durable. The strength of the complex can lead to a slow release of iron ions during assimilation, and affect redox properties. The strength decreases when diluted to lower concentrations of the drug in aqueous systems, therefore, it is advisable to take this property into account when prescribing doses of drugs for their effective assimilation. – the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ in the composition of drugs is possible only at a concentration of 10 mg/l in an aqueous system in an acidic environment at pH = 1-2. At higher concentrations, the oxidation state of Fe3+ is stable. Therefore, it is necessary to additionally introduce a reducing agent for the effective absorption of medicines. The obtained data on the physico-chemical properties of the drugs "Maltofer" and "Ferlatum" explain some of the results of clinical studies published in the scientific literature, and can be a criterion for clinical evaluation of their effectiveness.