Comparison between Conventional Iron Chelating Medicine and Natural Iron Chelating Substance on Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia Patients - A Study from West Bengal, India

Aims: The aim of this study was to find a harmless, cost effective and easy available iron chelating agent for blood transfusion dependent thalassemia patients who developed iron overload due to repeated blood transfusions and subsequent failure of vital organs and need a concomitant use of iron chelating agent for survival.

Study Design: Sixty transfusion dependent thalassemia patients were selected to evaluate the role and efficacy of a natural substance bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), as iron chelating agent.

Place and Duration of Study: Out Patient Department of Thalassemia Control Unit, Imambara Sadar Hospital, Chinsurah, Hooghly, West Bengal, India, between January 2016 and July 2016.

Methodology: The study was undertaken with serum ferritin level, liver function test, routine urine test, ophthalmic and auditory check up to assess the result of using natural chelating agent (bottle gourd) in comparison with commonly used medicine (deferasirox) as iron chelator.

Results: Deferasirox has shown different adverse effects in transfusion dependent thalassemia patients like increased hepatic enzyme level, proteinuria, auditory side effects, which were absent in its natural counterpart.

Conclusion: Natural substance bottle gourd has shown reduction of serum ferritin level without significant side effects and this is cost effective also.