EFFECT OF SALMON-CALCITONIN ON PLASMA CALCIUM AND INORGANIC-PHOSPHATELEVELS OF THE GREY QUAIL, COTURNIX-COTURNIX COTURNIX LINNAEUS

Intraperitoneal (ip) administration of salmon calcitonin (sCT) in dose of 2.0 MRC unit/0.2 ml/100 g body weight (single injection) elicited significant (P<0.02) hypocalcemia at 1/2 an hour in the intact Coturni x coturnix coturnix. Though the levels of plasma Ca of the intact quai ls remained depressed up to 2 hr but the differences were not statisti cally significant. Parathyroidectomized (PTX) birds exhibited frank hy pocalcemia (P<0.05) to sCT treatment only at 24 hr. Exogenous sCT inje ction induced insignificant decline in plasma Pi values of the intact as well as PTX quails. Ultimobranchial gland (UBG) of the birds posses sed the accessory parathyroid tissue which probably prevented tetanic convulsions and death in PTX quails.