Enzyme, Adenosine Triphosphate, and Blood Cellular Changes in Magnesium Deficient and Control Rats

Abstract

SummaryThe magnesium deficient rats developed red ears and were unable to gain weight at a normal rate after 5 days on the magnesium deficient diet. The plasma magnesium concentration in animals on a magnesium deficient diet for 1 week was approximately 20% of control values and dropped further, although insignificantly, during the following 3 weeks.The plasma alkaline phosphatase activity in magnesium deficient animals was depressed to approximately 50% of control values by 1 week and remained at this level over the next 3 weeks. A significant decline in the erythrocyte pyrophosphatase activity in magnesium deficient rats did not occur until the second week and remained constant during the following 2 weeks. The slower change in erythrocyte pyrophosphatase activity, when compared with plasma alkaline phosphatase activity, was related to a slower decrease in erythrocyte magnesium content. The whole blood ATP content was significantly lower in the magnesium deficient animals after 2 weeks.The number of ery...