To predict the potential utility of calcitriol in human osteoporosis with hepatic dysfunction, we examined the effects of calcitriol and alfacalcidol in ovariectomized (OVX) aged-rats with CCl4-induced hepatic failure. In OVX+CCl4 rats, GOT, GTP, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin increased and hepatic enzyme activity (cytochrome b5 and P450) decreased. Repeated oral doses of calcitriol (0.1 and 0.2 microgram/kg) for 51 days inhibited a decrease in serum calcium concentration. This effect was more potent than that of alfacalcidol at the same dose. Both drugs tended to inhibit a decrease in femoral calcium contents. Calcitriol (0.2 microgram/kg) prevented a decrease in femoral bone density (dry and ash weight per volume), unlike alfacalcidol. Soft X-ray imaging analysis revealed that both drugs tended to inhibit the decrease in femoral bone density. There were no differences in the femoral bone strength between OVX+CCl4 and sham-operated rats. The serum calcitriol concentrations increased after the last doses of calcitriol, while they did not increase after the last dose of alfacalcidol. All these effects of calcitriol were related to the serum calcitriol levels. These results suggest that calcitriol, unlike alfacalcidol, may have a clinical therapeutic effect in osteoporosis with hepatic dysfunction.