Deferoxamine, otherwise known as desferrioxamine or desferal, is a chelating agent used to remove excess iron from the body. It acts by binding free iron in the bloodstream and enhancing its elimination in the urine. By removing excess iron, the agent reduces the damage done to various organs and tissues, such as the liver. Chelation (from Greek, claw like) describes the reversible binding of an organic ligand, the chelator or chelating agent, to a metal ion, forming a metal complex, the chelate. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... Urine is liquid waste excreted by the kidneys and eventually expelled from the body in a process known as urination. ... The liver is an organ in vertebrates, including humans. ...

Deferoxamine is used to treat acute iron poisoning, especially in small children. Treatment with this agent is also frequently necessary in patients with certain types of anemia (e.g. thalassemia and myelodysplastic syndrome) who require many blood transfusions, which can greatly increase the amount of iron in the body. Iron poisoning is caused by an excess of iron in the blood. ... Anemia (American English) or anaemia (Commonwealth English), which literally means without blood, is a lack of red blood cells and/or hemoglobin. ... Thalassemia (American English) (or Thalassaemia in British English) is an inherited disease of the red blood cells, classified as a hemoglobinopathy. ... Blood transfusion is the taking of blood or blood-based products from one individual and inserting them into the circulatory system of another. ...

Apart from in iron toxicity, deferoxamine is also used to treat aluminum toxicity (an excess of aluminum in the body) in certain patients. Aluminum is a soft and lightweight metal with a dull silvery appearance, due to a thin layer of oxidation that forms quickly when it is exposed to air. ...