Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of low-dose methylprednisolone on calcium balance and bone composition in rats

  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis has been associated with high doses and it has been partially attributed to decreased absorption and to increased calcium excretion. The present study examined the effect of low but effective doses of methylprednisolone (MP) on calcium balance and on skeleton in rats. Total duration of the experiment 29 days. Thirty-one male Wistar rats (MP group) were injected with 4mg/kg body weight MP sc at the 1st, 11th and 20th day of the experiment and 28 rats (C group) were used as matched controls. The 1st, 11th and 20th day of the experiment rats were placed in individual metabolic cages for three days. Food and water consumption were measured at the 2nd and 3rd days after each injection; urine and faeces were collected at the same days for calcium estimation. Calcium intake and excretion after each injection was significantly lower in the MP group as compared to controls. A statistically significant positive correlation between calcium consumption and calcium excretion was found in both groups resulting in a negative final balance. Rats were killed the 29th day. Adrenal weight was statistically significant lower in MP group (p<0.001). Morphometric properties were evaluated for the right femur. No significant difference was found between the two groups. Mineral and calcium content was slightly increased in the MP group. According to these results, it seems that methylprednisolone while effective on HPA axis did not have any effect on calcium absorption and on bone calcium deposition in rats.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cushing H. The basophil adenomas of the pituitary body and their clinical manifestations (pituitary basophilism). Bull. Johns Hopkins 50: 137, 1932.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Goulding A., Gold E. Effects of dietary sodium chloride loading on parathyroid function, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, calcium balance and bone metabolism in female rats during chronic prednisolone administration. Endocrinology 119: 2148, 1986.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Hahn T.J., Halstead L.R., Baran D.T. Effects of short term glucocorticoid administration on intestinal calcium absorption and circulating vitamin D metabolite concentrations in man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 52: 111, 1981.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Kimberg D.V., Baerg R.D., Gesshon E., Gradusius R.T. Effect of cortisone treatment on the active transport of calcium by the small intestine. J. Clin. Invest. 50: 1309, 1971.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Morris H.A., Need A.G., O’Loughlin P.D. Malabsorption of calcium in corticosteroid -induced osteoporosis. Calcif. Tissue Int. 46: 305, 1990.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Need A.G., Hartley T.F., Philcox J.C., Nordin B.E.C. Calcium metabolism and osteoporosis in corticosteroid-treated postmenopausal women. Aust. NZ. J. Med. 16: 341, 1986.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Nielsen H.K., Thomsen K., Eriksen E.F., Charles P., Storm T., Moseklide L. The effects of high dose glucocorticoid administration on serum bone gamma carboxyglutamic acid-containing protein, serum alkaline phosphatase and vitamin D metabolites in normal subject. Bone Miner 4: 105, 1988.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Suzuki Y., Ichikawa Y., Saito E., Homme M. Importance of increased urinary calcium excretion in the development of secondary hyperparathyroidism of patients under glucocorticoid therapy. Metabolism 32: 151, 1983.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Chyun Y.S., Kream B.E., Raisz L.G. Cortisol decreases bone formation by inhibiting periostal cell proliferation. Endocrinology 114: 477, 1984.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Haussler M.R., Manolagas S.C., Deftos L.J. Glucocorticoid receptor in clonal osteosarcoma cell lines: A novel system for investigating bone active hormones. Biochem. Biophys Res. Commun. 94: 373, 1980.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hughes-Fulfold M., Appel R., Kumegawa M., Schmidt J. Effect of sex on proliferating osteoblasts. Inhibition of prostaglandin E2 synthesis, DNA synthesis and alterations in actin cytoskeleton. Exp. Cell Res. 203: 150, 1992.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Wong G.L Basal activities and hormone responsiveness of osteoclast-like and osteoblast-like bone cells are regulated by glucocorticoids. J. Biol. Chem. 254: 6337, 1979.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Adinoff A.D., Hollister J.R. Steroid induced fractures and bone loss in patients with asthma. N. Engl. J. Med. 309: 265, 1983.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Dempster D.W., Arlott M.A., Meunier P.J. Mean wall thickness and formation periods of trabecular bone packets in corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis. Calcif. Tissue Int. 35: 410, 1983.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Greenberger P.A., Hendrix R.W., Patterson R., Chmill J.S. Bone studies in patients on prolonged systemic corticosteroid therapy for asthma. Clin. Allergy 12: 363, 1982.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Lo Cascio V., Bonucci E., Imbimbo B., Ballanti P., Adami S., Milani S., Tartarotti D., Delia Rocca C. Bone loss in response to long term glucocorticoid therapy. Bone Miner. 8: 39, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Gordan G.S, Eisenberg E. The effect of oestrogens, androgens and corticoids on skeletal kinetics in man. Proc. Roy. Soc. Med. 56: 1027, 1963.

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Deuxchaisnes C.N., Devogelaer J.P., Esselinckx W., Bouchez B., Depresseux G., Rombouts-Lindemans C., Huaux J.P. The effect of low dosage glucocorticoids on bone mass in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross sectional and a longitudinal study using single photon absorptiometry. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 171: 210, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lukert B.P., Raisz L.G. Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis:pathogenesis and management. Ann. Intern. Med. 112: 352, 1990.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Moulding A., Gold E. Effects of chronic prednisolone treatment on bone resorption and bone composition in intact and ovariectomized rats receiving β-estradiol. Endocrinology 122: 482, 1988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Quarles L.D. Prednisone-induced osteopenia in beagles, variable effects by differential suppression of bone formation. Am. J.Physiol. 263: E136, 1992.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Gluck O.S., Murphy W.A., Hahn T.J., Hahn B. Bone loss in adults receiving alternate glucocorticoid therapy. A comparison with daily therapy. Arthritis Rheum. 24: 892, 1981.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Ruegsegger P., Medici T.C., Anliker M. Corticosteroid induced bone loss. A longitudinal study of alternate day therapy in patients with bronchial asthma using quantitative computed tomography. Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 25: 615, 1983.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Athens, Goudi, 11527, Athens, Greece

    A. Voulgaris,  Charis Liapi & J. Papadopoulos

Authors
  1. A. Voulgaris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Charis Liapi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. Papadopoulos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Voulgaris, A., Liapi, C. & Papadopoulos, J. Effect of low-dose methylprednisolone on calcium balance and bone composition in rats. J Endocrinol Invest 20, 659–663 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348027

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348027

Key-words

Search

Navigation