Heinz body hemolytic anemia induced by DQ-2511, a new anti-ulcer drug, in dogs.

DQ-2511, a new anti-ulcer drug, was administered to beagle dogs for 4 weeks to investigate the mechanism whereby this drug induced hemolytic anemia and its reversibility in comparison with beta-acetylphenylhydrazine. Hemolytic anemia accompanied by an increase in the number of cells containing Heinz bodies that was preceded by a marked decrease in blood-reduced glutathione concentration was observed in dogs receiving 600 mg/kg of DQ-2511, but only a slight increase in the methemoglobin level was noted. beta-Acetylphenylhydrazine, however, caused hemolytic anemia accompanied by marked increases in both Heinz body-containing cells and methemoglobin concentration, but the blood-reduced glutathione concentration was not decreased consistently with the formation of Heinz bodies. Hemolytic anemia disappeared after a 4-week recovery period in the dogs that received DQ-2511. These results suggest that decreases in reduced glutathione in erythrocytes play an important role in the anemia and Heinz body formation induced by DQ-2511, but not by beta-acetylphenylhydrazine.