ABSTRACT
This study aims to obtain the effective dose of sappan wood extract (Caesalpinia sappan L.) that serves as a herbal chelating agent. An experiment with a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was conducted on 21 male rats of 8 weeks old. The rats were given oral iron dextran and sappan wood extract at different doses for 15 days. Iron-related blood parameters were measured. The result revealed that a sappan wood extract dose of 200 mg/kg body weight had a chelating effect, showing a decline in ferritin levels (55.6%), a reduction in serum iron levels by 60%, and a reduction in transferrin saturation levels (84.7%). We also found an increase in transferrin levels (66.2%), and TIBC levels (62%) compared with rats given iron dextran injection alone. In conclusion, our study showed that a sappan wood extract dose of 200 mg/kg body weight has an ability to chelate excess iron in rats under conditions of iron overload.
