Ganite: Healthcare Professionals - Mechanism of Action

For Healthcare
Professionals

Mechanism of Action

Although the exact mechanism of action is unknown, Ganite is believed to exert a hypocalcemic effect by inhibiting calcium resorption from bone:

Gallium nitrate localizes preferentially where bone resorption and remodeling is occurring ¹¹
Gallium nitrate inhibits osteoclast activity ^12, ¹³
Inhibition of resorption may occur via a reduction in increased bone turnover

Preclinical evidence suggests that the mechanism of action of gallium nitrate is multifaceted ¹⁴ and differs from other hypocalcemic therapies, including the bisphosphonates ^13, ¹⁵

Although in vitro and animal studies have been performed to investigate the mechanism of action of the drug, the precise mechanism for inhibiting calcium resorption has not been fully described. As a result, the relevance to human physiology and clinical significance of these findings is speculative.

In vitro and animal studies suggest the following possible mechanisms:

Inhibition of bone resorption
- Inhibition of osteoclast activity ^12, ^13, ¹⁵ without general metabolic inhibition ^11, ^13, ¹⁵
- Increased resistance to osteoclast-mediated resorption via enhancement of hydroxyapatite crystallization and reduction of bone mineral solubility ^11, ^17-20
Effects on bone
- Increases calcium and phosphorous deposition into bone ^11, ^17, ¹⁸
- Increases bone formation ²¹
- May increase collagen synthesis ²²
Not cytotoxic to bone cell ^10, ^12, ¹⁵