This study was carried out to investigate the role of both calcium chloride and
Vitamin C in protection against the deterioration effect of sodium fluoride (NaF)
exposure on thyroid function .Fifty adult male rats were used, which divided
randomly into five equal groups, the first group: The animals of this group served as
control group administrated distilled water orally by gavage. Second group:
administrated NaF (5.2mg/kg.bw/day) orally by gavage. Third group: administrated
NaF (5.2mg/kg.bw/day) + Calcium Chloride (20mg/kg.bw/day) orally by gavage.
Fourth group: administrated NaF (5.2mg/kg.bw/day) + Vitamin C
(100mg/kg.bw/day) orally by gavage. Fifth group: administrated NaF
(5.2mg/kg.bw/day) + Calcium Chloride (20mg/kg.bw/day) + Vitamin C
(100mg/kg.bw/day) orally by gavag . The treatment continued for 45 days. At the
end of the experiment, animals were sacrificed under anesthesia. Blood samples
were taken and the serum was separated for the study of the thyroid hormones, and
tissue samples of the thyroid gland were taken for histological changes. The study
showed a significant elevation in thyroid stimulation hormone (TSH), and a
significant reduction in tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4) hormones concentration in NaF treated group compared with control, however a significant
improvement were recorded in above cited parameters in all treated groups.
Histopathological study revealed hyperplasia include presence of large number of
small follicles in NaF treated group whereas a significant amelioration were found in
all other treated groups which appeared semi-normal compared with control group