Abstract
The inhibitory effect of porcine calcitonin on the development of immobilization osteoporosis was studied in rat through the analysis of calcium and collagen content of the femur and tibia and the measurement of cortical thickness of the femur. A marked decrease in the calcium content of the femur and collagen content of the tibia of the right hind limb immobilized through the application of a plaster cast was slightly but significantly inhibited by the simultaneous s.c. injection of either 50 MRCmU or 200 MRCmU of porcine calcitonin. However, calcitonin failed to show any effect against the decrease in the cortical thickness of the femur of the immobilized limbs of rats.
It is concluded that calcitonin diminishes the effect of immobilization on the development of osteoporosis possibly through the inhibition of bone resorption.
