The Role of Calcium in Ameliorating the Oxidative Stress of Fluoride in Rats.

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of fluoride toxicity on some biochemical, hormonal, and histological parameters of female rats and the protective role of calcium against such effects. Adult female albino rats were divided into five groups; control group received distilled water for 60days, calcium group received calcium carbonate with dose of 50mg/kg three times per week for 60days, fluoride group received sodium fluoride with dose of 20mg/kg three times per week for 60days, calcium + fluoride group received calcium carbonate (50mg/kg) then after 2h received sodium fluoride (20mg/kg) three times per week for 60days, and fluoride + calcium group received sodium fluoride (20mg/kg) three times per week for 30days then received calcium carbonate (50mg/kg) three times per week for another 30days. The results showed that the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, urea, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, triiodothyronine, thyroxine, parathormone, phosphorous, magnesium, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma glutamyl transferase were significantly increased in rats treated with fluoride while serum estradiol, calcium, and organ glutathione were significantly decreased. The histological examination of the femur bone revealed that fluoride treatment induced thinning of bone trabeculae with wilding of marrow space, demineralization, and loss of trabeculae interconnections. Also, the histological examination of hepatic and renal tissues of fluoride-treated rats showed some damages in these tissues while administration of calcium carbonate for 30 or 60days during fluoride treatment minimized such damages. It could be concluded that administration of calcium to female rats can ameliorate the hazardous effects of fluoride observed in the biochemical, hormonal, and histological parameters.