Dietary iron supplements and Moringa oleifera leaves influence the liver hepcidin messenger RNA expression and biochemical indices of iron status in rats.

In this study, the effects of iron depletion and repletion on biochemical and molecular
indices of iron status were investigated in growing male Wistar rats. We hypothesized that
iron from Moringa leaves could overcome the effects of iron deficiency and modulate the
expression of iron-responsive genes better than conventional iron supplements. Iron
deficiency was induced by feeding rats an iron-deficient diet for 10 weeks, whereas control
rats were maintained on an iron-sufficient diet (35.0-mg Fe/kg diet). After the depletion
period, animals were repleted with different source of iron, in combination with ascorbic
acid. Iron deficiency caused a significant (P < .05) decrease in serum iron and ferritin levels
by 57% and 40%, respectively, as compared with nondepleted control animals. Significant
changes in the expression (0.5- to100-fold) of liver hepcidin (HAMP), transferrin, transferrin
receptor-2, hemochromatosis type 2, ferroportin 1, ceruloplasmin, and ferritin-H were
recorded in iron-depleted and iron-repleted rats, as compared with nondepleted rats (P <
.05). Dietary iron from Moringa leaf was found to be superior compared with ferric citrate in
overcoming the effects of iron deficiency in rats. These results suggest that changes in the
relative expression of liver hepcidin messenger RNA can be used as a sensitive molecular
marker for iron deficiency.