Effect of anabolic steroid on the development and treatment of rickets in rats

The influence of anabolic steroid on the process of production of rickets in vitamin-D deficient animals as well as its influence on healing of rickets with vitamin-D therapy was studied. Long-Evans strains of female rats of two age groups (6 weeks and 4 weeks) were given rachitogenic diet and were divided into five sub-groups-(I) control receiving vitamin-D from the 1st day, (II) rachitic group, (III) receiving vitamin-D from 36th day, (IV) receiving anabolic hormone from the beginning of the experiment and (V) receiving both vitamin-D and anabolic hormone from 36th day of treatment. It was observed grossly as well as histologically and radiographically that: (1) the anabolic steroid minimizes the rachitic changes in the bones of vitamin-D deficient rats, (2) in rachitic animals, a combination therapy of anabolic hormone and vitamin-D results in comparatively greater calcification of osteoid matrix and better healing and remodelling of bone than with vitamin-D alone.