Factors Involved in the Regeneration of Hemoglobin

All of the experiments were performed on rats. The animals were made anemic by feeding whole milk, collected in glass containers. The materials studied for hemoglobin regeneration were all tested for copper and used only when this element was absent. Hemoglobin was determined by the Newcomer method. The animals were bled by the tail.There was no effect on hemoglobin when anemic rats were fed 1, 5, and 10 mg. Fe as FeCl3together with whole milk. We then studied the effect of tyrosine, tryptophane, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and arginine on hemoglobin formation. The rats were fed on milk when 30 days old and after 4 weeks were given 100 mg. of amino acid plus 0.5 mg. of Fe as FeCl3daily. Regeneration of hemoglobin did not occur on any of the amino acids employed. The conflicting results in the literature on the potency of various elements in hemoglobin building may be due to different amounts being absorbed; to test this point we injected various salts intraperitoneal-ly. The following elements were tested: As, Mn, V, Ge, Ni, Zn, Cr, Ti, Se, Hg, and Rb. Most of the metals were injected at levels from 0.05 mg. to 0.1 mg. daily. Arsenic was injected at 0.01 to 0.2 mg. daily. None of these elements caused regeneration of hemoglobin; in fact, the only element we have thus far found which has a positive effect is copper. Although we found that Fe as FeCl3when administered orally did not stimulate hemoglobin regeneration, we were anxious to ascertain if the same results would be obtained by intraperitoneal injection of the Fe. Three mg. of Fe as FeCl3injected every other day into anemic rats increased the hemoglobin from initial levels of 3.0 to 5.5 gm. to final values of 9.5 to 12.1 gm. per 100 cc. of blood.