European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FLUORIDE-INDUCED CARDIOTOXICITY IN RATS: HISTOPATHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL FINDINGS

A. Shashi* and Shiwani Dogra

ABSTRACT

Chronic fluoride exposure is a widespread environmental concern associated with various health implications beyond its well-known effects on dental and skeletal systems. Eighteen Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups having six in each. The control group was given 1 ml deionized water/kg b.w./day for 40 days. The groups II and III were administered with sodium fluoride (NaF) orally by oral gavage at doses of 300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg body weight daily for the same period. The animals were sacrificed, cardiac tissue was taken out and processed for histopathological changes and biochemical analysis. Histopathological examination using light microscopy revealed nuclear dissolution, swelling, and degeneration progressing to pyknosis and karyorrhexis, Zenker's degeneration, vascular dilation, myofiber fragmentation, and loss of cross-striations were observed in rats treated with 300 mg NaF. Treatment with 600 mg NaF exacerbated these effects, showing fibrillolysis, fibrous necrosis, interstitial edema, and extensive cellular infiltration. Biochemical results showed a significant (P< 0.0001) increase in triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, very low-density lipoproteins, and phospholipids, along with a marked decrease in high-density lipoproteins levels in fluoride-exposed rats. Pearson’s bivariate correlation and simple linear regression analysis exhibited positive relationship between the levels of fluoride and triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, very low-density lipoproteins and phospholipids. On contrary, negative relationship existed between the levels of fluoride and HDL, indicating fluoride-induced dyslipidemia.

Keywords: Fluoride, High-density lipoproteins, Histopathology, Low-density lipoproteins, Phospholipids, Triglycerides, Total cholesterol, Very low-density lipoproteins.