In a group of rats with streptozotocin induced diabetes the excretion of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and creatinine in urine was investigated and the calcium, magnesium and phosphorus content of bone in relation to the duration of the disease. The authors observed that in diabetic rats the urinary losses of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus increase significantly. The creatinine excretion is also significant but lower in relation to calciuria and therefore the value of Nordin's index in diabetic rats rises markedly. Bone of diabetic rats in the early stage of diabetes (32 days) loses magnesium, while the calcium and phosphorus content does not change significantly. During longer persistence of severe diabetes (70 days) a significant drop of all three minerals in bone was observed. The bones of diabetic animals on the 70th experimental day were macroscopically smaller and were very fragile. The authors' findings suggest a marked influence of streptozotocin diabetes on calcium phosphate metabolism and bone metabolism, in particular on account of STZ diabetes, on an early drop of magnesium in bone. The possible impact of this finding for clinical practice will have to be tested further.

Keywords: Animals; Bone and Bones /metabolism/; Calcium /metabolism/; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental /drug therapy/; Insulin /therapeutic use/; Magnesium /metabolism/; Phosphorus /metabolism/; Rats