Abstract

SUMMARY: The aim of this study was to determine how metabolic and functional changes in diabetes affect the fluoride intake, distribution, and concentration in bone tissue; and whether alterations in fluoride metabolism in diabetes may influence the severity of the disorder. Two groups of rats received 0 (C) or 10 ppm (F10) fluoride via drinking water for three weeks, ad libitum. Two other groups were treated with a dingle dose of streptozotocin to induce diabetes, and also received 0 (D) or 10 ppm fluroide (DF10). The quantity of fluoride consumed via water by the DF10 animals was calculated daily and an equal amount was added to the drinking water of another group of non-diabetic animals (FF).

In the diabetic group (DF10) the intake of fluoride gradually increased, hyperglycemia was more severe, and renal hypertrophy was expressed less than in the diabetic group (D) which consumed deionized water. The femoral fluoride concentration increased in proportion to fluoride intake. The high fluoride intake of FF animals resulted, when compared to DF10 ones, in a further increase in the bone tissue and in relatively less elevation in plasma fluoride concentrations. It is concluded that (1) fluoride supply via drinking water may enhance the severity of diabetes in rats, and (ii) due to diabetic metabolic and functional imbalance, the fluoride metabolism may also change.