Effect of verapamil on plasma parathyroid hormone.

The effects of the Ca antagonist, verapamil, on the behaviour of parathyroid hormone was studied in normal and uraemic male Wistar rats. Parathyroidectomy was by cautery. Acute uraemia was induced by bilateral nephrectomy, and moderate uraemia by s.c. injection of gentamicin (200 mg/kg). Ethylendiamine tetracetic acid (50 mg/kg X d) was injected subcutaneously. Parathyroid hormone was determined by radioimmunoassay. The degree of uraemia was determined from plasma urea levels. Renal failure resulted in a significant increase in plasma parathyroid hormone (mean +/- SEM, ng/l) (84 +/- 6, n = 10, in the control; 277 +/- 39, n = 7, in the moderate uraemics and 667 +/- 128, n = 6, in the acute uraemics). Injection of verapamil significantly increased plasma levels of parathyroid hormone, ranging from 21% in the controls to 62% in the moderate uraemia group. In the acute uraemics, parathyroid hormone levels were very high and verapamil did not cause any further elevation of the hormone in the blood. Parathyroidectomy significantly lowered plasma parathyroid hormone, and verapamil resulted in a mean increase of 29%. EDTA caused an increase of 64%, compared with the control group.