- Iron and folic acid deficiency anemia
- Prophylactic therapy for iron deficiency in pregnancy & lactation.
- Prophylactic therapy for iron deficiency in children.
- Adults, children >12 years and nursing women:
- 10-20ml daily
- Pregnant women:
- 20-30ml daily
- Prophylaxis 1-12 years:
- 5-10ml daily
- Infants (up to 1 year):
- 2.5-5-5ml daily
Vary according to brand.
Ingredients may include;
- Elemental iron 41mg/50mg
- Ferrous fumarate 300mg
- Vitamin B12 50mcg
- Folic acid 1.5mcg
- Should be taken during or immediately after a meal.
- Can be taken with orange juice to increase absorption.
- Therapy takes up to 3-5 months.
Iron is required to produce RBCs while folic acid and vitamin B12 are essential in various metabolic pathways.
Ascorbic acid facilitates iron absorption by forming a chelate with ferric iron at acid pH that remains soluble at the alkaline pH of the duodenum hence essential to take Vitamin C with iron.
- GI disturbances
- Black-coloured stool
- Diarrhoea or constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Sleep disturbances
- Teeth staining
- Hypersensitivity
- Porphyria cutanea tarda
- Hemolytic anemia
- Thalassemia
- Haemochromatosis
- Haemosiderosis
- Hyperoxaluria
- G6PD deficiency
- Iron overload
- Antacids
- Levothyroxine
- Tetracycline
- Zinc salts
- Flouroquinolones
- Levodopa
- Methyldopa
- Mycophenolate mofetil
- Penicillins
- Dimercapol
- Cimetidine
- H2 antagonists
- Neomycin
- Colchicine
- Oral contraceptives
- Cholestyramine
Drug Status
| Availability | Prescription or OTC by Pharmacist |
| Pregnancy | Safe to use |
| Breastfeeding | Safe to use |
| Schedule | Not controlled |
| BRAND | ACTIVE INGREDIENTS | CLASS | FORMULATION | PACK SIZE | MANUFACTURER | DISTRIBUTOR |
| Agloron | Elemental Iron/ Vit B6/ Vit B12/ Vit B3/ Zinc | FDC | Suspension | 200mL | Aglowmed Ltd | Sai Pharma |
| Amifer | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12 | 50mg/2.5mg/0.02mg per 5mL | Suspension | 200mL | Dafra Pharm | Energia Pharm |
| Amitone | Elemental iron/ Histidine/ Lysine | FDC | Suspension | 200mL | Bliss GVS | Prunus Pharma |
| Aristofol-Fe | Elemental iron/ Folic acid | 308 mg/350 mcg | Tablet | 100’s | Beximco Pharma | Madawa Pharma |
| Astyfer | Elemental iron/ Histidine/ Lysine/ Glycine/ Vit B1/ Vit B2/ Vit B6/ Vit B12/ Folic acid/ Vit C | FDC | Suspension | 200mL | Til Healthcare | Harley’s Ltd |
| Astyfer | Elemental iron/ Histidine/ Lysine/ Glycine/ Vit B1/ Vit B2/ Vit B6/ Folic acid/ Vit B12/ Vit C | FDC | Capsule | 30’s | Til Healthcare | Harley’s Ltd |
| Bioferon | Elemental Iron/ Vit C/ Vit B12/ Zinc/ Folic Acid | FDC | Capsule | 30’s | Sanofi-Aventis | Surgipharm Ltd |
| Bioferon | Elemental Iron/ Vit C/ Vit B12/ Zinc/ Folic Acid | FDC | Suspension | 200mL | Sanofi-Aventis | Surgipharm Ltd |
| Byofer | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12 | 200mg/1.5mg/12.5mcg per 5mL | Suspension | 200mL | Bliss GVS | Prunus Pharma |
| Dexorange | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12/ Zinc | 160mg/0.5mg/7.5mcg/20.61mg | Capsule | 30’s | Medilife Pharma | Medilife Biologicals |
| Dipifer | Elemental iron/ Folic acid | 30mg/0.5mg per 5mL | Suspension | 200mL | Doctor Pharma (K) | Doctor Pharma (K) |
| Fecontin-F | Elemental iron/ Folic Acid | 100 mg/ 0.5 mg | Tablet | 10’s | Modi Mundipharma | Europa Healthcare |
| Fecontin-Z | Elemental iron/ Folic Acid/ Zinc | 100 mg/0.5 mg/61.8 mg | Tablet | 10’s | Modi Mundipharma | Europa Healthcare |
| Fedate | Elemental Iron/ Folic Acid/ Vit B6/ Vit B12 | 33mg/1.5mg/1.5mg/15mcg | Suspension | 200mL | Ajanta Pharma | Harley’s Ltd |
| Fericor | Elemental Iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12/ Vit C/ Zinc sulfate | 100mg/0.75mg/5mcg/75mg/5mg | Capsule | 30’s | Signature Healthcare | Signature Healthcare |
| Feritone B | Elemental iron/Vit B1/ Vit B2/ Vit B3/ Vit B6 | 200mg/2mg/0.5mg/5mg/1mg per 5mL | Suspension | 100mL | Elys Chemicals | Elys Chemicals |
| Ferium XT | Elemental iron/ Folic acid | 100mg/1.5mg | Tablet | 30’s | Emcure Pharma | Saicare Enterprises |
| Ferrolic-LF | Elemental Iron/ Folic Acid | 200mg/0.4mg | Tablet | 100’s | Laboratory & Allied | Laboratory & Allied |
| Ferrona XT | Elemental iron/ Folic acid | 100mg/1.5mg | Capsule | 30’s | Zawadi Healthcare | Zawadi Healthcare |
| Ferrona XT | Elemental iron/ Folic acid | 30mg/500mcg per 5mL | Suspension | 200mL | Zawadi Healthcare | Zawadi Healthcare |
| Ferroplex | Elemental iron/ Vit B1/ Vit B2/ Vit B6/ Vit B3 | 100mg/1.5mg/1.5mg/2mg/5mg per 5mL | Suspension | 100mL | Laboratory & Allied | Laboratory & Allied |
| Ferrotone | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12 | 53.25mg/0.75mg/7.5mg | Capsule | 100’s | Mega Lifesciences | Mega Lifesciences |
| Ferrous sulphate | Elemental iron | 65mg | Tablet | 100’s | Laboratory & Allied | Laboratory & Allied |
| Fevit B Complex | Elemental iron/ Vit B1/ Vit B2/ Vit B12/ Vit B3 | 200mg/2mg/0.5mg/2.5mg/5mg per 5mL | Suspension | 100mL | Biodeal Labs | Biodeal Labs |
| Folfes | Elemental Iron/ Folic Acid | 200mg/0.4mg | Tablet | 1000’s | Biodeal Labs | Biodeal Labs |
| Hemoforce | Elemental iron/ Folic Acid/ Haemoglobin/ Vit B12 | 125mg/0.5mg/2g/7.5mcg per 5mL | Suspension | 200mL | Shalina Healthcare | Shalina Healthcare |
| Hemosan | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit C/ Vit B6 | 300mg/2.5mg/100mg/10mg | Capsule | 30’s | Cosmos Ltd | Cosmos Ltd |
| Hemoton-S | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B1/ Vit B3/ Vit B5 | 45mg/2mg/1mg/10mg/2mg per 5mL | Suspension | 120mL; 250mL | Indus Pharma | Globe Pharmacy |
| Hemovit | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12/ Vit C/ Zinc | 305mg/0.75mg/5mcg/75mg/5mg | Capsule | 30’s | Beta Healthcare | Beta Healthcare |
| Hemovit | Elemental iron/ Vit B6/ Vit B12/ Folic acid/ Zinc | 200mg/0.5mg/50mcg/1.5mg/2.33mg per 5mL | Suspension | 200mL | Beta Healthcare | Beta Healthcare |
| Hepatoglobine | Elemental iron/ Peptone/ Vit B12/ Folic acid/ Copper sulphate | 300 mg/ 100 mg/ 15 mcg/ 1.5mg/ 2.5 mg | Capsule | 30’s | Raptakos Brett | Pan Pharma |
| Hifer | Elemental Iron/ Folic Acid/ Vit B12/ Vit C/ Zinc | FDC | Tablet | 30’s | Zest Pharma | Synermed Pharma |
| Hifer C Kit | Elemental Iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12/ Elemental Calcium/ Vit D3/ Vit C/ Elemental Zinc | 100mg/1.5mg/15mcg/1g/500 IU/ 75mg/22.5mg | Tablet | 30’s | Zest Pharma | Synermed Pharma |
| Idanil | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Methylcobalamin/ Zinc | 60mg/1mg/500mcg/15mg | Tablet | 30’s | Questa Care C/O Surgilinks Ltd | Surgilinks Ltd |
| Idanil Elixir | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Lysine/ Methylcobalamin/ Zinc | 10mg/100mg/10mg/3mcg/2.75mg | Suspension | 150mL | Questa Care C/O Surgilinks Ltd | Surgilinks Ltd |
| Pickferon | Elemental Iron/ Vit B1/ Vit C/ Calcium Glycerophosphate/ Zinc/ Vit B3/ Vit B2/ Copper/ Folic Acid/ Iodine/ Vit B12/ Manganese | 45mg/112mg/10mg/10mg/10mg/7mg/1mg/500mcg/150mcg/80mcg/5mcg/0.5mg | Suspension | 200mL | Prisma Pharma | Wessex Pharma |
| Pickferon Drops | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Lysine/ Vit B12 | 10mg/200mcg/100mcg/4mcg | Suspension | 30mL | Prisma Pharma | Wessex Pharma |
| R.B. Tone | Elemental Iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12/ Vit C | 30mg/0.5mg/2.5mcg/38mg per 10mL | Suspension | 200mL | Medley Pharma | Zawadi Healthcare |
| R.B. Tone | Elemental Iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12/ Vit C | FDC | Capsule | 150’s | Medley Pharma | Zawadi Healthcare |
| Ranferon | Elemental iron/ Folic Acid/ Vit B12/ Vit C | 100mg/ 0.75mg/ 5mcg/ 75mg | Capsule | 30’s | Sun Pharma | Sun Pharma |
| Ranferon | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12 | 200mg/ 1.5mg/5mcg | Suspension | 200mL | Sun Pharma | Sun Pharma |
| Rubired | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12 | 100mg/1.5mg/7.5mcg | Tablet | 30’s | Macleods Pharma | Sai Pharma |
| Rubired | Elemental iron/ Folic acid/ Vit B12 | 30mg/0.5mg/2.5mcg per 5mL | Suspension | 30’s | Macleods Pharma | Sai Pharma |
| Saferon | Elemental iron | 50mg/5mL | Suspension | 150mL | Glenmark Pharma | Glenmark Pharma |
| Saferon Plus | Elemental Iron/ Folic Acid | 100mg/500mcg | Tablet | 30’s | Glenmark Pharma | Glenmark Pharma |
| Stanfer | Elemental iron | 65mg | Tablet | 1000’s | Nestor Pharma | Nestor Pharma |
| Tonoferon | Elemental iron/ Vit B12/ Folic acid/ Vit B12/ Vit B1/ Vit B2/ Vit B3/ Vit C/ Copper/ Zinc/ Lysine | 50mcg/50mcg/15mg/4mg/1mg/8mg/50mg/250mcg/5mg/40mg per 5mL | Suspension | 200mL | Biodeal Labs | Biodeal Labs |
| Tot’hema | Elemental Iron/ Manganese/ Copper | 5mg/0.133mg/0.07mg per mL | Suspension | 10mL*20’s | Laboratoire Innotech | Phillips Therapeutics |
| Zeefee | Elemental Iron/ Folic Acid/ Iron Protein Succinylate/ Vit B12 | 40mg/1mg/800mg/5mcg per 15mL | Suspension | 200mL | Prisma Pharma | Wessex Pharma |
| Zincofer | Elemental iron/ Folic Acid/ Vit B6/ Vit B12/ Vit C/ Zinc | 350mcg/1mg/1.5mg/5mcg/75mg/ 55mg | Capsule | 30’s | Apex Laboratories | Wessex Pharma |
| Zincofer | Elemental iron/ Vit B3/ Vit B6/ Vit B12/ Zinc | 225mg/50mg/1.5mg/7.5mcg/44.4mg per 15mL | Suspension | 200mL | Apex Labs | Wessex Pharma |