Iron(II) gluconate (also known as a ferrous gluconate) is used in the treatment of hypochromic anemia. The real problem of iron therapy is not the theoretical utilization of iron, or the reticulocyte response, or even the daily increase of hemoglobin. These are important only as they indicate the return of the patients' blood to normal in a reasonably short time without undue inconvenience. Most patients suffering from hypochromic anemia respond well to most forms of iron when administered in adequate dosage. For the patients who cannot tolerate the usual iron compounds, it is important to have a medication which is effective and which causes minimum disturbance. Ferrous gluconate is such a medicament.

Ferric chloride is a compound used as a food additive, a haemostatic or treatment for hypochromic anaemia. Ferric chloride induced vascular injury is a widely used model of occlusive thrombosis that reports platelet activation and aggregation in the context of an aseptic closed vascular system. Iron i.v. ferric chloride (960 mg) has being shown to be effective in correcting anaemia in HD patients with iron deficiency.