Effect of hydrocortisone on total body calcium in rats. [/sup 47/Ca and /sup 85/Sr tracer techniques]

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · J. Lab. Clin. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7324142

Yasumura, S; Ellis, K J; Cohn, S H

Administration of 5 mg. of hydrocortisone acetate to rats every other day for 2 weeks resulted in growth retardation and weight loss as indicated by body weights of experimental animals, which averaged 33 percent lower than those of the controls, and a significant decrease in the length of the tibiae and femurs (p less than 0.01 for treated vs controls). However, despite the smaller size of the treated animals, the values for total body calcium (TBCa) and the calcium in the tibia and femur did not differ significantly from control values. Thus, there was more calcium per unit length of bone, resulting in an increase in the skeletal density of treated rats. This finding was confirmed by x-ray examination of these bones. The net intestinal absorption of calcium (rate of initial entry) calculated from plasma levels following an oral and intravenous dose of /sup 47/Ca and /sup 85/Sr, respectively, was not significantly different in hydrocortisone-treated rats compared to controls. This would indicate that the rate of intestinal absorption of calcium is unimpaired despite the administration of massive doses of corticosteroids. When the animals were placed on a calcium-deficient diet, both TBCa and tibia and femur calcium levels were decreased. Subsequent administration of hydrocortisone did not alter the calcium values. The results of this study are compatible with the hypothesis that hydrocortisone promotes weight loss, retards growth, but inhibits the rate of bone resorption.

• Research Organization: Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn
• OSTI ID: 7324142
• Journal Information: J. Lab. Clin. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Lab. Clin. Med.; (United States) Vol. 88:5; ISSN JLCMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550501* -- Metabolism-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ADRENAL HORMONES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CALCIUM
CALCIUM 47
CALCIUM ISOTOPES
CORTICOSTEROIDS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
GROWTH
HORMONES
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROCORTISONE
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTESTINAL ABSORPTION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
KETONES
MAMMALS
METABOLISM
METALS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PREGNANES
RADIOISOTOPES
RATS
RODENTS
SKELETON
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
STRONTIUM 85
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
UPTAKE
VERTEBRATES