Effect of 1-alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 on osteoporosis in rats induced by oophorectomy.

Fifty adult female rats were used to study the effect of 1-alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 (1alpha-OH-D3) on bone after oophorectomy. The experimental period was 6 months. At the end of the experiment the femurs and the tibias were investigated for bone mass and composition. Significant signs of osteopenia occurred as a result of oophorectomy. The treatment with 1alpha-OH-D3 induced only minor changes in blood chemistry but increased bone mass significantly. The findings support the view that 1alpha-OH-D3 may be a valuable tool in the treatment of osteoporosis resulting from ovarian insufficiency.