Influence of the thyroid and parathyroid glands on magnesium metabolism during mineralocorticoid treatment (DOCA + NaCl) in the rat.

The aim of the study was to investigate changes in the magnesium balance in DOCA + NaCl (S)-treated rats and the role of the parathyroid and thyroid glands in these changes during such treatment. A large loss of magnesium in the urine is observed during the onset of DOCA + S treatment, but the magnesium balance was higher after 3 weeks of treatment than in normal untreated rats. DOCA + S treatment provoked the same magnesium losses in the urine of rats without a parathyroid gland and without a thyroid gland. However, the magnesium balance was higher in rats still possessing their thyroid gland. Thus, it appears that the thyroid gland is necessary to provoke a gain in the magnesium balance during mineralocorticoid treatment.