Effects of fluoride accumulation on some enzymes of brain and gastrocnemius muscle of mice

Abstract

This study reports accumulation of fluoride and altered activities of some enzymes involved in free-radical metabolism and membrane function in whole brain and gastrocnemius muscle of female mice treated with NaF (20mg/kg/body weight) for 14 days. The body weight and somatic index were decreased, whereas fluoride levels were significantly increased (p<0.01) in both brain and gastrocnemius muscle. The enzymes SOD, GST, and catalase decreased significantly (p<0.01) in contrast to XOD activity, which moderately increased. SDH, LDH, AIAT, AAT, and CPK activities and membrane-bound enzymes, viz Na+ -K+ , Mg++ and Ca++ ATPase and AChE were decreased significantly (p<0.01) in both brain and gastrocnemius muscle. The effect of fluoride on enzymes of muscle was comparatively larger, which corroborates the greater accumulation of fluoride in muscle than brain. This study therefore shows that both brain and muscle are affected by fluoride with inhibition of some enzymes associated with free-radical metabolism, energy production and transfer, membrane transport, and synaptic transmission, but with an enhanced activity of XOD.