Vol. 36 No. 1, 1997

Short Note

Effects of Salmon Calcitonin and Bovine Parathormone on the Levels of Serum Calcium and Inorganic Phosphorous, and the Histology of the Parathyroid Gland in the Snake, Acrochordus granulatus (Schneider)

Anita P. Warbhuwan and Arun S. Padgaonkar*

Endocrinology Lab., Zoology Dept., BNN College, Bhiwandi 421301, India

Anita P. Warbhuwan and Arun S. Padgaonkar (1997) Administration of salmon calcitonin in the snake, Acrochordus granulatus, at a dose of 10 IU/100 g body weight, resulted in a slight risein the levels of serum calcium and inorganic phosphorous on day 1 as compared to the controls.  Thereafter, these levels remained within normal limits throughout the course of the experiment.  Snakes treated with  calcitonin  showed hypertrophy of the parenchymal cells of the parathyroid gland. The nuclei of these cells increased in size. The lack of hypocalcemic response in A. granulatus after calcitonin administration has been attributed to an adequate secretion of parathormone from the parenchymal cells of the parathyroidgl and  which counteracts the action of calcitonin. The hypertrophy of the parenchymal cells in the treatedsnakes supports such a view.
Administration of parathormone in A. granulatu sevoked a hypercalcemic response on day 1, which reached a peak on the 2nd day and thereafter, showed a decline (4th day). The serum inorganic phosphorous level in the parathormone-treated snake showed a slight decrease on the 2nd day of treatment. The chief cells of the parathyroid glands of the parathormone-treated snakes showed extensive vacuolation in thecytoplasm. The nuclei of the cells decreased in size. The above experiments lead us to conclude thatparathormone plays a pivotal role in the control of calcium and phosphate metabolism in the snake under study, and that calcitonin counteracts the action of parathormone.

Key words: Calcitonin, Parathormone, Snake.

*Correspondence: -