Oxidative stress induced by gibberellic acid in bone of suckling rats

The present study investigates the bone maturity of suckling rats whose mothers were treated with gibberellic acid (GA3). Female Wistar rats were divided into two groups: group I that served as controls and group II that received orally GA3 (200 ppm) from the 14th day of pregnancy until day 14 after delivery. In the GA3 group, an increase in body and femur weights as well as in femur length of pups was noted when compared to controls. Lipid peroxidation was demonstrated by high femur malondialdehyde levels, while superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase activities, glutathione and vitamin C levels in femur decreased. GA3 caused a decrease in calcium and phosphorus levels in bone. The calcium concentration in plasma increased and the phosphorus concentration decreased, while urinary levels of calcium decreased and those of phosphate increased. Moreover, plasma total tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and total alkaline phosphatase increased. Bone disorders were confirmed by femur histological changes.