Abstract
Excessive fluoride intoxication plays an important role in the development of dental, skeletal and non-skeletal fluorosis. The aim of this study was to ascertain the toxic effect of excessive fluoride ingestion on the level of hydroxyproline and expression of type 1 collagen gene in rat bone and its amelioration by supplementation with Tamarindus indica fruit pulp extract. Forty albino rats were randomly assigned to four groups. The first group served as control and received only tap water. The second group received sodium fluoride (200 ppm) through drinking water. The third group received T. indica fruit pulp extract (200 mg/kg body weight) alone and the fourth group received the T. indica fruit pulp extract (200 mg/kg body weight) along with fluorinated drinking water (200 ppm) daily by gavage for a period of 90 days. The level of hydroxyproline and expression of type 1 collagen gene using quantitative real time PCR in the tibia bone decreased significantly with continuous exposure to sodium fluoride. Co-administration of T. indica fruit pulp extract during exposure to fluoride through drinking water restored the level of calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase in serum and the concentration of hydroxyproline in urine. It increased the level of hydroxyproline and expression of type 1 collagen gene in the tibia as compared to untreated fluoride-exposed rats. It is concluded that T. indica fruit pulp extract has an ameliorative potential to protect the bone from fluoride induced collagen damage.