The Use of Some Selected Antioxidant Supplements in the Management of Fluoride Toxicity on Adult Male Wistar Rats? Fecundity

The use of ameliorative antioxidant potentials of some selected antioxidant supplements in the management of fluoride toxicity on adult male Wistar rats' fecundity was investigated. Thirty-six adult male albino rats were divided into 6 groups. Group I (positive control) received oral dose of normal feed and water for 4 weeks and 6 weeks, Group II (negative control) sodium fluoride (10mg/kg) body weight (b.w), Group III received sodium fluoride (10mg/kg) + selenium(0.5mg/kg) b.w, Group IV sodium fluoride (10mg/kg) + zinc (14.8mg/kg) b.w, Group V sodium fluoride (10mg/kg) + ginseng (10mg/kg) b.w, Group VI sodium fluoride (10mg/kg) + vitamin E (100mg/kg) b.w. At the end of the 4th and 6th week, hormone assay: (testosterone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone, sperm quality analysis: morphology, motility, abnormality, sluggishness, deadness and sperm count) were analysed. Result showed that Group 11 had a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the sperm quality parameters and a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the hormone parameters compared to the positive control group. However, there was no significant difference in the sperm sluggishness parameter after 4 weeks and 6 weeks and also no significant difference in the sperm abnormality parameter after 4 weeks. Testicular examination of group 11(Sodium fluoride only) showed necrosis, epithelial apoptosis, and atrophied seminiferous tubules. Concomitant administration of sodium fluoride +selenium, sodium fluoride + zinc, sodium fluoride + ginseng, and sodium fluoride + vitamin E respectively showed a significant reversal of the toxic effect of NaF on the treated animals and this corroborated with the histology results of the testes. The result showed that sodium fluoride induced severe toxic changes in the male reproductive system while these supplements provided partial and complete amelioration against these toxic effects.