The Effect of Alloxan Diabetes and Acidosis on the Mineral and Water Content of Bone12

Abstract

In the experiments reported here the bone Na content of rats with alloxan diabetes of both short and long duration was compared with normal controls of equal age. In addition, normal and diabetic rats were rendered acidotic by the intraperitoneal injection of NH4CI and the response of their bone Na to this stimulus was examined. The results indicated that untreated alloxan diabetes, in the absence of acidosis, as indicated by normal blood pH''s, had no effect on bone Na stores, and that both normal and diabetic animals responded to acidosis with a comparable decrease of about 12% in bone crystal Na content. A discussion of the present state of knowledge of bone water and those factors which limit the accuracy of the "calculated Cl space" in bone is included.