Abstract
Sodium citrate has been in use to remove lead or redioactive elements from bones. The process of effects of sodium citrate injection is assumed as the co-deposition of sodium citrate with bone salts on the surfaces of apatite crystal and depolymerization and dissolution of glycoprotein ground substance of bone.
Administration of sodium citrate in rats led to a rise of bone citrate. However, no significant changes was observed in mucoprotein content of bone and serum in rats treated with sodium citrate as compared with rats injected with physiological sodium chloride solution. These facts would indicate that the effects of sodium citrate on the mobilization of foreign substance deposited in bones are due primarily to its ability to form complexes with rations, but not due to the depolymerization and dissolution of glycoprotein matrix.
