The effects of salmon calcitonin-induced hypocalcemia on bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats

Abstract

The ovariectomized rat has proved to be a most useful model for preclinical testing of potential therapies for osteoporosis. We describe the immediate effects of a single treatment with salmon calcitonin (sCT) on calcium homeostasis and bone turnover markers in 6-month-old sham and ovariectomized (ovx) rats at 15 days postovariectomy. Rats were fasted for 24 h prior to and following administration of 0.3 μg/kg body weight sCT. Blood specimens were collected at 0 (pretreatment), 2, 4, and 8 h. Urine samples were collected during the intervening periods. sCT treatment produced a decrease in blood ionized calcium at 2h posttreatment in sham and ovx rats (P < 0.001), which was exaggerated in the..