[Growth and metabolism of calcium in rats chronically poisoned with aluminium hydroxide]

The effects of aluminum on growth have been studied in rats chronically poisoned with aluminum hydroxide (80 mg/kg b.w.-i.p.-three times a week, during 6 months) and in control rats, between 3 and 26 weeks of age. The growth data was evaluated according to Parks 'theory of feeding an growth. At the end of the poisoning period, the calcium metabolism was studied through a balance of calcium and the determination of bone Ca++ accretion and resorption rates with the aid of 45Ca++. The parathyroid glands function was studied using an indirect method. Treated rats showed a significant decrease in asymptotic weights and in the initial efficiency of food conversion into biomass regarding controls. No differences were observed in food intake between both group. Aluminum affected neither the peak growth rate nor the time necessary to attain maturity. The calcium balance in treated rats was significantly less than in the control group. This was accompanied by a significant increase in the calcium excreted by faces, caused perhaps by a less intestinal absorption. An important amount of aluminum on the surface of the trabecular bone and a reduction in the skeletal Ca++ mass, was observed in all treated rats. Nevertheless there are no differences in the latter when expressed for 100 g of body weight. The rate of skeletal Ca++ accretion was found to be significantly decreased in treated group with respect to controls, without any changes in the bone Ca resorption rate. The reduction in bone turnover revealed by the decrease of Vo+/Vo- was accompanied by less recovery velocity of calcemia in the aluminum treated group, being indirectly related to the parathyroid gland response to calcium depletion. In the model that we studied the decreased bone turnover could have been caused by deposits of aluminum in bone; however there could exist associated factors such as dysfunction in the secretion of PTH, or less affinity between its receptors at the bone level.