Effect of prednisolone on the rat bone calcium, phosphorus and magnesium concentration.

Adult male rats were given prednisolone (Urbason solubile = 6-methyl-prednisolone) in doses of 4 mg/100 g body weight for 10, 20 or 30 days and its effect on the calcium, phosphorus and magnesium content of their femurs was studied. At all the given intervals a statistically significant decrease in the magnesium content of the bone was found; the calcium content was significantly reduced only in the first phase of the experiment (at 10 days).