Pricing
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All price changes →Indications & Uses
Deferoxamine Mesylate is used in acute iron intoxication and in chronic iron overload caused by transfusion-dependent anemias. It is also used in the Deferoxamine Mesylate infusion test, which helps diagnose aluminum overload. And it is used for chronic aluminum overload in patients with End-Stage Renal Failure (ESRF) who are on maintenance dialysis.
Pharmacology
Deferoxamine treats iron toxicity by binding trivalent (ferric) iron, which it has a strong affinity for. The two form ferrioxamine, a stable complex that the kidneys remove from the body. 100 mg of deferoxamine can bind approximately 8.5 mg of trivalent (ferric) iron.
In aluminum toxicity, deferoxamine binds aluminum that is held in the tissues and forms aluminoxamine, a stable, water-soluble complex. This raises the concentration of aluminum in the blood, so the gradient between the blood and the dialysate becomes larger and more aluminum is removed during dialysis. 100 mg of deferoxamine can bind approximately 4.1 mg of aluminum.
Dosage Reference
Reference Information Only
Dosages shown are general references from official sources. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized dosing.
Adults:
Deferoxamine mesylate must be given only by a parenteral route. The dose should not go above 6.0 grams in a twenty-four hour period. It can be given by intramuscular injection, but in most cases it works considerably better as a continuous infusion. That means an intravenous infusion, especially in acute iron intoxication, or a subcutaneous infusion, especially in patients with chronic iron overload.
Giving Deferoxamine as a rapid intravenous injection at more than 15 mg/kg/h has caused flushing of the skin, urticaria, hypotension and shock.
Side Effects
Side-effect information is not available for this brand yet.
Cautions & Contraindications
Warnings & Precautions
Deferoxamine Mesylate treatment should be started and kept going by a physician who has experience in treating chronic iron overload caused by blood transfusions. Some of the signs and symptoms reported as adverse effects may actually come from the underlying disease (iron and/or aluminum overload) and not from the medicine. Like all medicines, Deferoxamine Mesylate should be kept out of reach of children. Rapid intravenous injection of Deferoxamine Mesylate above 15 mg/kg/h has caused flushing of the skin, urticaria, hypotension and shock. Vitamin C supplements should not be given to patients with cardiac failure. Patients with severe chronic iron overload who received Deferoxamine Mesylate together with high doses of vitamin C (more than 500 mg daily) have had impaired cardiac function.
Contraindications
Deferoxamine mesylate must not be given to patients who are hypersensitive to it or to any component of the container, unless desensitization has been successful.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Pregnant women: There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of deferoxamine in pregnant women. Studies in animals (rabbits) have shown reproductive toxicity, and the risk to the baby or the mother is unknown. Women who could become pregnant and who have chronic iron and/or aluminum overload should not receive deferoxamine unless they use an effective form of contraception. The contraception must be started before treatment and continued throughout treatment and for at least the first month after it. During pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester, deferoxamine should only be used if the danger of acute iron intoxication is thought to be greater than the possible teratogenic danger of deferoxamine.
Nursing women: It is not known whether deferoxamine mesylate passes into breast milk. Many drugs are excreted in human milk, and there is a chance of serious adverse drug reactions in breast-fed newborns and infants. So a decision should be made either to stop breast-feeding or to stop using the medicine, taking into account how important the medicine is to the mother.
⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Overdose
DDesferal is given only by injection (parenteral administration), so acute intoxication is unlikely to happen.
⚠️ In an emergency call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
Storage
Keep Deferoxamine Mesylate between 15 and 25 °C. Don't store it above 25 °C.
Drug Interactions
Common questions about Desferal 500 mg
What is Desferal 500 mg Injection?
Desferal 500 mg Injection is a medicine that contains Deferoxamine Mesylate. It is made by Nevian Lifescience PLC. It belongs to the Carboxylic acids and derivatives group of medicines.
What is Desferal used for?
Deferoxamine Mesylate is used in acute iron intoxication and in chronic iron overload caused by transfusion-dependent anemias. It is also used in the Deferoxamine Mesylate infusion test, which helps diagnose aluminum overload.
Can I take Desferal during pregnancy or while breastfeeding?
Pregnant women: There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of deferoxamine in pregnant women. Studies in animals (rabbits) have shown reproductive toxicity, and the risk to the baby or the mother is unknown. Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
What happens if I take too much Desferal?
DDesferal is given only by injection (parenteral administration), so acute intoxication is unlikely to happen. In an emergency call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
How should I store Desferal?
Keep Deferoxamine Mesylate between 15 and 25 °C. Don't store it above 25 °C.
Can I take other medicines with Desferal?
Some medicines can interact with Deferoxamine Mesylate, for example: Deferiprone, Erythropoietin, Iron, Vitamin C, Prochlorperazine Maleate, Ascorbic Acid 25 gm/100 gm. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about every medicine you take.
Do I need a prescription for Desferal?
Desferal is a prescription (Rx) medicine. Take it as your doctor advises.