Abstract

Biochemical alterations in the brain produced during experimental fluorosis were studied. Albino rabbits of both sexes were administered sodium fluoride solutions in the concentrations of 5, 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg body wt/day by subcutaneous injection for 100 days. The control rabbits were given 1 cc distilled water/kg body weight/day for the same length of time. In fluoride treated rabbits the brain showed significant decline (P <0.001) in soluble, basic total protein and free amino acid levels. RNA content rapidly decreased (P <0.001) in the brains of experimental animals compared to the controls. However, in male animals treated with 5 and 10 mg fluoride no statistically significant differences in RNA content of brain were observed. The depletion of proteins produced degenerative changes in purkinje cells of the cerebellar cortex. These changes in the brain lead to paralysis of limbs in fluoridated animals.