Intestinal Absorption of Oxalate in Gonadectomized Rats

Hyperabsorption of oxalate from the gut has been shown to be an important contributory factor in the production of calcium oxalate urolithiasis1, a disease which is more prevalent in men than women2. Sex hormones regulate the enzymes of oxalate biosynthesis in the glycolate-glyoxylate-oxalate pathways3,4. To elucidate the role of sex hormones in the intestinal uptake of oxalate, male and female rats were gonadectomized and treated with estradiol and testosterone respectively.