REDUCTION OF DIETARY PHOSPHORUS ABSORPTION BY ORAL PHOSPHORUS BINDERS

The aim of this study was to study a possible new non-aluminum phospha te-binder to limit hyperphosphatemia in patients with renal failure. Z irconyl chloride octahydrate was evaluated as a dietary phosphate bind er in rats. Aluminum chloride hexahydrate was used as a reference. Ani mals were divided into six groups (6 animals per group): One - control group (C), two - aluminum groups (Al-1 and Al-2) acid three - zirconi um groups (Zr-1, Zr-2 and Zr-3) receiving different doses of zirconyl chloride octahydrate. Urines were collected during the experimental pe riod. At the end of the treatment, the animals were sacrified and plas ma and different organs were collected (liver, spleen, kidneys, brain and femur). Determination of phosphorus and calcium levels in plasma i ndicated that zirconyl chloride octahydrate yielded as good results as aluminum chloride hexahydrate did. Zirconyl chloride octahydrate sign ificantly (p<0.01) reduced bone phosphorus burden. Urinary excretion o f phosphorus indicated a severe phosphorus depletion in all treatments . Not even traces of zirconium could be determined in the different ti ssues, in urines or in plasma. Consequently, it is important to carry out experiments with zirconium compounds in order to develop non-alumi num-containing phosphate binders.