AMELIORATION OF FLUORIDE TOXICITY IN SOME ACCESSORY REPRODUCTIVE GLANDS AND SPERMATOZOA OF RAT

Sodium fluoride (NaF) at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight was administer ed orally to male rats (Rattus norvegicus) daily for 30 and 50 days to evaluate the effect on the physiology of some sex accessory glands an d sperm functions. The effects of withdrawal upon cessation of NaF ing estion, and of administering ascorbic acid (AA) and/or calcium (Ca++) along with NaF, were also investigated. The results revealed that the NaF treatment caused a significant elevation in serum fluoride levels with a simultaneous rise in Ca++ levels. This could be attributed to t he formation of a calcium fluoride complex leading to calcium accumula tion. The treatment resulted in structural and metabolic alterations i n sperm, leading to low sperm motility, a low sperm mitochondrial acti vity index (SMAI), reduced viability (live:dead ratio), and changes in sperm membrane phospholipids (particularly phosphatidylinositol, phos phatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, which would affect hormon e receptor interaction and their functions). A significant reduction i n electrolyte levels of sperm also occurred which would also affect th eir viability. The protein levels in cauda epididymal sperm suspension , vas deferens, seminal vesicle and prostate were significantly decrea sed after NaF administration, which may be due to altered protein meta bolism by interference of fluoride ions. The changes in epididymal pro tein profile, with absence of some proteins and induction of some new ones, were probably a result of the ''stress proteins'' in NaF-treated rats affecting the structural and functional integrity of sperm. Glyc ogen accumulation in vas deferens and a decrease in fructose in semina l vesicles and vas deferens indicated disturbances in carbohydrate met abolism in these organs. However, withdrawal of treatment resulted in partial recovery. A significant recovery from NaF-induced toxic effect s occurred following administration of ascorbic acid and/or calcium, w hile combined treatment (AA + Ca++) for 70 days manifested a synergist ic effect. The transient fluoride-induced effects were reversible. The results, corroborated by earlier data from our laboratory, show that fluoride has a definite effect on male reproduction and fertility. Asc orbic acid and calcium are proposed as therapeutic agents in endemic p opulations for amelioration of effects of fluoride.