Oral Liposomal Iron: A promising new strategy for anemia management in clinical practice.

Anemia is a public health problem affecting about a third of the world's population, the major cause of it being iron deficiency. The many oral iron preparations available at present, are inadequate due to intolerance, or contraindications. IV iron preparations are painful, require patient monitoring and carry the risk of anaphylaxis. Iron salts like Iron pyrophosphate are covered with liposome, a spherical structure of a phospholipidic nature that is similar to those human cell membranes. The bioavailability of liposomal pyrophosphate iron is 3.5 times greater than the free pyrophosphate iron, 2.7 times higher than iron sulfate, and 4.1 times higher compared with iron gluconate. Clinical studies showed that oral liposomal iron is a safe and efficacious alternative to correct anaemia, as also it is a viable treatment option for iron deficiency anaemia in pregnant women.