Iron supplementation may increase disease activity in ulcerative colitis.  This may be related to oxidative stress.  Vitamin E, an antioxidant, may reverse  this detrimental effect.  Methods: To study this, colitis was induced in rats by adding 5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water for 7 days.  Rats were randomized into 4 groups and pair fed: DSS (n=15), DSS+ vitamin E  (2000 IU/kg of diet) (n=19), DSS+iron (iron 10 fold the regular diet) (n=14), and DSS+iron+vitamin E (n=14).  The spleen weight/rat weight% (increased with colitis activity), colon length (decreased with colitis activity), inflammatory score, colon and plasma lipid peroxide (LPO), colon glutathione peroxidase (cGPx), and plasma vitamin C were measured. Analysis of this 2 X 2 design for iron and vitamin E supplementation were by 2-way ANOVA.  Result are summarized  in the table. Conclusion: Iron supplementation resulted in oxidative stress and increased inflammatory score. There is a trend toward a decrease in inflammatory score in rats supplemented with vitamin E.

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