Effectiveness of oral versus intraperitoneal administration of erythropoietin in stimulating erythropoiesis.

While it has been suggested that orally transmitted erythropoietin can stimulate erythropoiesis, in vitro studies have shown that this glycoprotein is inactivated by incubation with various proteolytic enzymes. This study, utilizing the incorporation of 59Fe in the plethoric mouse, suggests that orally administered erythropoietin is ineffective in stimulating erythropoiesis.