Desferrioxamine Administered Intravenously by Infusion Causes a Reduction in the Electroretinogram in Rabbits Anaesthetized with Urethane

In rabbits anaesthetized with urethane, intravenous infusion of the iron-chelating drug desferrioxamine causes a reduction in the amplitude of the electroretinogram. This is most pronounced for weak light intensities, but the change is more complex than a mere reduction in sensitivity. In experiments lasting up to 3 days the effect is reversible and is not accompanied by electron-microscopical histological changes.