title: Effect of long-term administration of sodium fluoride on plasma calcium level in relation to intestinal absorption and urinary excretion in rabbits.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of chronic fluoride toxicity on calcium metabolism. Rabbits (n = 10) were orally administered an aqueous solution of 10 mg NaF/kg body wt daily for 18 months. Equal numbers (n = 10) of age-, sex- and weight-matched rabbits kept under identical laboratory conditions, but not treated, with NaF solution, served as control. The fasting plasma calcium concentrations of fluoride-treated rabbits were significantly lower (P < 0.001) than those of control animals. In contrast to the decrease in plasma calcium level, and increase in intestinal radioactive calcium (45Ca) absorption was observed (P < 0.001) in all fluoride-treated animals. However, urinary calcium excretion levels were found to be reduced (P = not significant) in fluoride-treated rabbits. It is therefore concluded that long-term fluoride poisoning alters the calcium homeostatic mechanism, thereby affecting calcium metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Susheela
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D004231:Diuresis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000097:blood; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012969:Sodium Fluoride; D005459:Fluorides; D002118:Calcium