The Calcification of Tissues by Excessive Doses of Irradiated Ergosterol

Abstract

Analyses were made for Ca and P content of 12 tissues from 13 normal dogs and from 14 dogs that had received, by intravenous injection, toxic doses of irradiated ergosterol in the form of viosterol, 10000 X. Statistical treatment of the data shows that the Ca content of any tissue may be significantly increased by viosterol administration, although wide variations may occur, certain tissues showing no increase. The magnitude of the increase in Ca content is not correlated with the viosterol dosage but seems to depend on some undetermined individual factor or factors. The P content, while widely variable among individual animals, was affected by viosterol administration in a much less constant manner, if at all.