Protective Effects of Selenium Against Sodium Fluoride Induced Behavioral, Anti-Oxidant and Neurohistological Alterations in Wistar Rats

Gorantla Sri Charitha, Kurmeti Sudhakar and K. Pratap Reddy

Department of Zoology, University college of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad -500007, Telangana, India.

Corresponding Author E-mail: pratapkreddyou@gmail.com

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/2652

ABSTRACT: Fluoride naturally occurs in the earth’s crust and ground water and it causes fluorosis when it is consumed in high levels. The fluorosis also affects soft tissues like liver, kidney, heart, brain etc., in addition to skeletal and dental systems. The present study reports the protective effects of selenium against sodium fluoride induced neurotoxic effects. Three months old (around 250 – 280 g weight) wistar rats were randomly categorized into four groups viz. Group I (control) which received normal tap water, Group II (sodium fluoride, NaF) treated with 20 ppm of fluoride through IP, Group III treated with (NaF 20 ppm) + Selenium (5 mgkg^-1 body wt./day/rat) and Group IV treated with Selenium (5 mgkg^-1 body wt./day/rat) alone. The doses were continued for a period of 15 days and after that they were used for recording behavioral (rota rod, hot plate), anti-oxidant (LPO, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px) and histological (Golgi cox staining) observations. The rats treated with NaF showed the decreased motor coordination, thermal pain response, decreased CAT and SOD activity and increased LPO levels and GSH-Px activity with compared to control group. Moreover, NaF received rats also showed the decreased number of dendrites, synaptic connections and neural networks. These all alterations were reversed on administration of selenium towards fluoride toxicity and the results were significant (p<0.01). The results of selenium alone treated group of rats is comparable to control group. Based on these observed results, the present study evidenced the protective role of selenium against fluoride induced neurotoxicity.

KEYWORDS: Neural Networks; Neurodegeneration; Selenium; Sodium fluoride; Synaptic Connections

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