What is the Difference Between Ferrous Sulphate and Iron Polymaltose

The key difference between ferrous sulphate and iron polymaltose is that ferrous sulphate is more preferred than iron polymaltose when treating iron deficiency anemia.

Both ferrous sulphate and iron polymaltose are important complexes that are useful as supplements in treating iron deficiency anemia. However, ferrous sulphate usually contributes more than iron polymaltose to the rise of hemoglobin in the blood.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Ferrous Sulphate
3. What is Iron Polymaltose
4. Ferrous Sulphate vs Iron Polymaltose in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Ferrous Sulphate vs Iron Polymaltose

What is Ferrous Sulphate?

Ferrous sulfate is a type of iron supplement that denotes a range of salts with the chemical formula FeSO₄.xH₂O. It is used to prevent low levels of iron in the blood. Most commonly, it occurs in the heptahydrate form. It has a blue-green appearance. In addition to medicinal applications, it has industrial uses as well.

When considering the production of this compound, it is formed as a byproduct during the finishing of steel, prior to plating or coating. Here, the steel sheet is passed through pickling baths of sulfuric, where the ferrous sulfate formation occurs. Moreover, this compound can form in large amounts during the production of titanium dioxide from ilmenite using the sulfate process.

As a medication, physicians often recommend ferrous sulfate for iron deficiency, though it is not the best option. It is less absorbed and is toxic. Furthermore, it can cause a number of side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, constipation, etc.

What is Iron Polymaltose?

Iron polymaltose is a medication useful in treating iron deficiency, and it belongs to the group of oral iron preparations. This preparation is a macromolecular complex containing iron(III) hydroxide, and it has a carrier polymaltose that is available in solid form in the form of a film-coated or chewable tablet. It can also be found in liquid form as a syrup, drinkable solution, or drops. Moreover, it is useful in treating iron deficiency, which should be diagnostically established and verified through laboratory tests.

Some common side effects of this medication include stool discoloration, diarrhea, nausea, and dyspepsia. There can be some uncommon side effects as well: constipation, vomiting, stomachache, tooth discoloration, itchiness, and headache. Some very rare side effects include allergic reactions.

The chemical formula of iron polymaltose is C₁₂H₂₅FeO₁₄. The molar mass of this compound is 449.163 g/mol. It can occur in the solid or liquid state. The hydrogen bond donor count of this molecule is 11, and the hydrogen bond acceptor count is 14. The rotatable bond count is 8. It has a heavy atom count of 27, and the formal charge is zero.

What is the Difference Between Ferrous Sulphate and Iron Polymaltose?

Ferrous sulphate and iron polymaltose are iron supplements. The key difference between ferrous sulphate and iron polymaltose is that ferrous sulphate is more preferred than iron polymaltose when treating iron deficiency anemia. This is because ferrous sulphate can contribute more to the rise of the hemoglobin content compared to that of iron polymaltose. Moreover, ferrous sulphate is an inorganic compound, while iron polymaltose is an organic compound.

The below infographic presents the differences between ferrous sulphate and iron polymaltose in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Ferrous Sulphate vs Iron Polymaltose

Ferrous sulfate is a type of iron supplement that denotes a range of salts with the chemical formula FeSO₄.xH₂O while iron polymaltose is a medication useful in treating iron deficiency, and it belongs to the group of oral iron preparations. The key difference between ferrous sulphate and iron polymaltose is that ferrous sulphate is more preferred than iron polymaltose when treating iron deficiency anemia.

Reference:

1. “Iron Polymaltose.” Site Verification.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Ferrous sulfate” By W. Oelen – (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Iron polymaltose” By itu – ChemIDplus (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia