Prevention of Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia in Rhesus Monkeys by Tin-protoporphyrin

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Abstract
Summary: Rhesus monkey infants were injected subcutaneously at birth with 12 to 100 μmol of tin-protoporphyrin IX, a competitive inhibitor of microsomal heme oxygenase. The elevated unconjugated serum bilirubin levels of the neonates receiving this metalloporphyrin rapidly declined to near adult levels by 24–30 h. Control neonates which received an injection of saline exhibited normal physiologic hyperbilirubinemias of from 3–6 mg/dl by 12–24 h as expected. These studies establish the effectiveness of tin-protoporphyrin IX in depressing bilirubin production and preventing physiologic hyperbilirubinemia in simian neonates. Two of six animals receiving the metalloporphyrin exhibited signs of toxicity.