The effects of long term feeding of Solanum glaucophyllum to growing rats on Ca, Mg, P and bone metabolism.

The effects of the long term ingestion of Solanum Glaucophyllum leaves (SG) by the rat was investigated in two series of experiments; the animals were fed a normal (for 8 weeks) or a low Ca diet (for 5 weeks). With both diets, the intestinal absorption of Ca was increased and the endogenous fecal Ca excretion was decreased by SG treatment. Added to a normal Ca diet, SG increased the urinary excretion of Ca, Mg and P and reduced the excretion of hydroxyproline and pyrophosphate. At the histological level, SG induced a higher rate of bone tissue synthesis on trabecular and endosteal surfaces. The bone content of hydroxyproline and citrate increased significantly. The total alkaline phosphatase activity of plasma decreased as a function of SG intake due to a decreased in the activity of the intestinal isoenzyme, which was not compensated by the increase in the bone isoenzyme activity. The Mg absorption was decreased by SG inducing lower Mg balances and lower plasma Mg levels. Added to a low Ca diet, SG increased the severity of the secondary hyperparathyroidism induced by the diet. The urinary excretion of hydroxyproline and the plasma alkaline phosphatase activity (both isoenzymes) were significantly increased. The Na and K content of bone decreased as a function of SG intake. 45Ca kinetic experiments revealed that SG increased the rate of Ca resorption and the rate constant of the fast exchangeable Ca pool, in both diets.