El calcio en toxicología: toxicidad comparada de sus principales sales

Abstract

El empleo terapéutico del calcio en las intoxicaciones debe basarse, sobre todo, en el conocimiento de la alteración que intervenga en su complicado metabolismo. Desde que son muchos los factores y las circunstancias tóxicas capaces de afectar la calcemia, las cifras sanguíneas en calcio, el examen de la sangre servirá eficazmente, en esa situación, para el diagnóstico diferencial. Además de los trastornos del metabolismo del calcio, en el curso de ciertas intoxicaciones, en la acción del mismo, ha de reconocerse modalidades diversas, favorables o no, a su empleo terapéutico en los envenenamientos.

- Toxicologically, the knowledge of the action of calcium is interesting por its metabolism, its pharmacological actions over the organic systems for the various modalities favorable or not, for its therapeutic employment in intoxications. Regarding this, the importance of its application being increased every day in numerous intoxications, metals, metaloides, oxalic acid, alcohol, cocaine, aspirin, certain gases, barbiturios, carbón tetrachloride, etc... - In the therapeutic election of the calcium salts intervenes the different content of calcium in the same; its various assimilation and different toxicity. - The determination of the mortal dose and the minimum mortal of lactate, chloride, and calcium gluconate, in solution of 10 %, employed in dogs and rabbits by intravenous method and at a velocity of 1 c. c. of the same per minute, reveal that the lactate is the more toxic of the three, next is chloride and then calcium gluconate. Considering the minimum mortal dose of lactate as unit the dose of ather salts are transformed as such: lactate 1; chloride 1.17 and gluconate 1.82. These proportions reveal that the minimum mortal dose of gluconate is almost twice that of lactate, and one and half time that of cloride. - The velocity factor of the intravenous injections of calcium determines the major intensity of the toxic and pharmacologic symptoms. In effect, the administration of two cubic centimeters of solutions per minute, gives the following proportion: lactate 1; chloride 1.44 and gluconate 2.11. In consequence, the toxicity of calcium gluconate always less than other salts, is revealed in the minimum mortal dose of this salt and is somewhat more than twice that of lactate and almost one and half time that of chloride. These differences, find their explication in the different proportion of calcium in each of the salts.