Effect of graded doses of cortisol on total body calcium in rats

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · Am. J. Physiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7107014

Yasumura, S; Ellis, K J; Fairchild, E; Brook, D; Cohn, S H

Male rats with an average body weight of 250 g were injected (sc) daily for 4 wk with 0.05, 0.20, 0.75, or 3.00 mg of cortisol acetate. Intact and adrenalectomized control animals were injected daily with 0.1 ml of vehicle (corn oil). Total body calcium (TB/sub Ca/) was measured weekly in each rat by in vivo neutron activation analysis. The gain in body weight of rats treated with 0.75 mg cortisol was significantly less than controls, and the animals treated with 3.00 mg cortisol lost weight. In spite of these differences in body weight, the TB/sub Ca/ of all rats increased to an equal degree from an average of 1.93 g to 2.81 g in 4 wk. In addition, there were no significant differences in tibial ash calcium. However, calcium (mg) per unit length (mm) of tibia was increased in rats treated with the higher doses of cortisol; thus bone density was increased. These results demonstrate that the TB/sub Ca/ increases even when rats are subjected to cortisol. This is explained in part by the normal rate of intestinal calcium absorption in cortisol-treated rats.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY
• OSTI ID: 7107014
• Journal Information: Am. J. Physiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Physiol.; (United States) Vol. 231:6; ISSN AJPHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550500* -- Metabolism
560305 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ADRENAL HORMONES
ADRENALECTOMY
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CALCIUM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CORTICOSTEROIDS
ELEMENTS
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
HORMONES
HYDROCORTISONE
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IN VIVO
INJECTION
INTAKE
INTESTINAL ABSORPTION
KETONES
MAGNESIUM
MAMMALS
MEDICINE
METALS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHOSPHORUS
PREGNANES
RATS
RODENTS
SKELETON
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION
SURGERY
UPTAKE
VERTEBRATES
WEIGHT