Sodium fluoride-induced hypoproteinemia and hypoglycemia in parental and F1-generation rats and amelioration by vitamins

Oral administration of sodium fluoride (NaF; 40 mg/kg body weight) daily from day 6 of gestation to day 21 of lactation caused, compared with the distilled water control (group 2), significant reductions in body weight and feed consumption as well as concentration of glucose and protein in the serum of P- and F1-generation rats; however, sodium and potassium concentrations in the serum were significantly higher than those of the vehicle control (group 2). Administration of either vitamins C (50 mg/kg body weight/day), D (2 ng/0.2 ml olive oil/animal/day) or a combination of vitamins C+D+E along with NaF caused significant amelioration in body weight and feed consumption, as well as glucose, protein, sodium and potassium concentrations in the serum of P- and F1-generation rats compared with the NaF-only treated group. Withdrawal of NaF treatment during lactation caused significant amelioration in feed consumption (days 15–21 only), sodium, potassium, glucose and protein concentrations in the serum of both P- and F1-generation rats. Co- treatment with vitamin E (2 mg/0.2 ml olive oil/animal/day) caused significant amelioration in body weight (days 15 and 20 of gestation only), sodium, potassium, glucose (only in P-generation females) and protein (only in P-generation female) concentrations in the serum of rats than in NaF-treated rats alone. It is concluded that co-treatment with vitamins C, D and C+D+E were found more effective in ameliorating NaF-induced effects than vitamin E and withdrawal of NaF treatment during lactation.