ferric ammonium citrate

Ferric ammonium citrate is a complex salt of iron, ammonia, and citric acid, primarily utilized as a source of dietary iron and for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is recognized as a well-established iron supplement, often found in multi-ingredient formulations like Geritol. Beyond its clinical application, ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) is extensively used as a research reagent to model non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) and iron overload. Preclinical studies have demonstrated its ability to modulate various disease pathways: it activates LRRK2 in Parkinson's disease models, downregulates Rho GTPases such as Cdc42 and RhoA to inhibit glioblastoma cell migration, and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pancreatic and ovarian cancer cells. Additionally, it is used to study the effects of iron on macrophage function in COPD and fatty acid transport at the blood-brain barrier in Alzheimer's disease.

Brand names

Geritol

Other names

Ammonium iron(III) citrateAmmonium ferric citrateSoluble ferric citrateIron(III) ammonium citrate