[The possible therapeutic effect of deferoxamine in experimental infections of mice by Plasmodium berghei]

Deferoxamine is a compound with iron chelating properties. Body depletion of this mineral, according to some authors, might influence the metabolism of plasmodia that thrive in the erythrocytes. In order to verify this possibility, we administered daily doses of 300 or 1.000 mg/kg of the compound, for five days and again 15 days, to mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. The parameters used to check the activity of deferoxamine were mortality of the animals and the count of blood parasites. The results showed a progressive increase of mortality and of the parasitemia in all animals, without differences in relation to the controls. So, at least on hand of the present study, the mentioned substance cannot be considered useful for the treatment of malaria.