Effect of anabolic steroid on the development and treatment of rickets in rats.

ABSTRACT

The influence of anabolic steroid on the process of production of rickets in vitamin-D deficient animals as well as its influence on healing of rickets with vitamin-D therapy was studied. Long-Evans strains of female rats of two age groups (6 weeks and 4 weeks) were given rachitogenic diet and were divided into five sub-groups-(I) control receiving vitamin-D from the 1st day, (II) rachitic group, (III) receiving vitamin-D from 36th day, (IV) receiving anabolic hormone from the beginning of the experiment and (V) receiving both vitamin-D and anabolic hormone from 36th day of treatment. It was observed grossly as well as histologically and radiographically that (1) the anabolic steroid minimizes the rachitic changes in the bones of vitamin-D deficient rats, (2) in rachitic animals, a combination therapy of anabolic hormone and vitamin-D results in comparatively greater calcification of osteoid matrix and better healing and remodelling of bone than with vitamin-D alone.