8% at 500 mg. each hematogen™ capsule contains 250 mg of ascorbic acid, believed to be the optimal amount. promotes movement of plasma iron: ascorbic acid also plays an important role in the movement of plasma iron to storage depots in the tissues . the action, which leads to the transport of plasma iron to ferritin, presumably involves its reducing effect; converting transferrin iron from 5 the ferric to the ferrous state. there is also evidence that ascorbic acid improves iron utilization, presumably as a further result of its reducing action , and some evidence that it may have a direct effect upon erythropoiesis. ascorbic acid is further alleged to enhance the conversion of folic acid to a more physiologically active form, folinic acid. which would make it even more important in the 11 treatment of anemia since it would aid in the utilization of dietary folic acid. excellent oral toleration: ferrous fumarate is used in hematogen™ capsules because it is less likely to cause the gastric disturbances so often associated with oral iron therapy. ferrous fumarate has a low ionization constant and high solubility in the entire ph range of the gastrointestinal tract. it does not precipitate proteins or have the astringency of more ionizable forms of iron, and does not interfere with proteolytic or diastatic activities of the digestive system. because of excellent oral toleration, hematogen™ capsules can usually be administered between meals when iron absorption is maximal. facilitates absorption of vitamin b12 : it is now known that "intrinsic factor" is essential for the adequate alimentary absorption of vitamin b. the inclusion of desiccated stomach powder 12 with oral vitamin b will furnish sufficient intrinsic factor to assure absorption of the vitamin 12 only toxicity: ferrous fumarate was found to be the least toxic of three popular oral iron salts, with an oral ld50 of 630 mg/kg. in the same report, the ld50 of ferrous gluconate was reported to be 320 mg/kg and ferrous sulfate 230 mg/kg.

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