Standardization & Development of Rat Model with Iron Deficiency Anaemia Utilising Commercial Available Iron Deficient Food

Many research centres have developed various animal models with Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) by using iron deficient feeds as well as different chemicals. Model for iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) in rats has been created by the use of iron elimination from diet components as much as possible. The present study elaborates and concludes the development of IDA rat model by investigating different parameters like body weight, haematological indices, peripheral smear, immunoassay studies and histopathological studies using commercially available iron deficient diet. 12 Wistar albino female rats weighing 180-200 gm were selected with normal haemoglobin range of 12 - 15 g/dL purchased from Bombay Veterinary College, Parel and divided into two groups – Control (3 no. of rats) and Test (9 no. of rats). The test group was fed with iron deficient diet (VRK Nutritional Solutions) whereas control group was fed with standard diet. The time duration of the study was 5 weeks (35 days) and 6 weeks (42 days). Retro orbital blood for both control and treated was drawn at both time intervals so as to analyse haematological and immunoassay studies. Peripheral smear staining was carried out to observe the gross morphology of RBCs for iron deficient and control rats. The body weights were recorded before and after treatment and statistical significance was calculated. Post exposure rats were dissected and organs like heart, kidney, liver, lungs and spleen were collected for histopathological analysis. Our results showed decreased levels of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), reticulocyte count, serum iron (SI), serum ferritin (SF) and an increase in total iron binding capacity (TIBC). in IDA animals exposed to 42 days of iron deficient diet. Significant difference (p<0.5) was observed in body weights of rats when compared with the data before and after treatment. The peripheral smear has indicated microcytic hypochromic RBCs in test group confirming development of IDA model. The histopathological results revealed the abnormality at cellular level like congestion of blood vessels in heart, congestion and centrilobular hepatocyte with inflammatory cell infiltration in liver, perivasculitis in lungs and decrease in white pulp in spleen whereas kidney were found normal. Our results clearly demonstrate iron deficient rat model when administered with IDA feed. This model can be used for estimation of efficiency of new food products and food supplements enriched with iron.