Effect of Parathyroid Extract Administration in Sheep. ∗

Abstract

Summary

The effect of parathyroid extract and administration upon the removal of radiocalcium and radiophosphorus from the long bones of sheep and its subsequent excretion in the urine was studied. Over a 5-day period of treatment, radiophosphorus but not radiocalcium was removed from the bone. The parathyroid extract produced only a slight rise in the urinary excretion which may be accounted for by the elevated serum phosphorus. Daily doses of 1000 i.u. of parathyroid extract over a 7-day period resulted in elevation of the serum phosphorus levels but not of serum calcium. It is concluded that in the sheep, parathyroid extract acted directly upon the bone and that any effect upon the kidney was minor in the dosage range and time periods employed; also, it appeared that phosphorus metabolism was much more influenced than was calcium metabolism.