Changes in mineral composition and its related enzyme activity in the femur of rats orally administered stannous chloride.

The effect of stannous chloride on bone metabolism was examined in weanling male rats given oral dose of 1.0 mg Sn/kg at 12-h intervals for 28 days. Tin administration produced progressive increase in tin content of the femoral diaphysis and epiphysis. Calcium content in the femoral epiphysis but not diaphysis was significantly decreased by tin administration for 28 days, while inorganic phosphorus contents in the femoral diaphysis and epiphysis were not changed significantly. Acid and alkaline phosphatase activities in the femoral diaphysis and epiphysis were markedly reduced by tin administration for 3 days, and significant decreases in the femoral epiphysis were also observed at 28 days. Meanwhile, ATPase and pyrophosphatase activities in the femoral diaphysis and epiphysis were not altered significantly by tin administration. From the present study, of mineral composition and its related enzyme activity, the decreases of acid and alkaline phosphatase activities in the femoral epiphysis were regarded as the biochemical manifestation of the toxic action of inorganic tin.