Vitamin C ameliorates fluoride-induced embryotoxicity in pregnant rats

Oral administration of sodium fluoride (40 mg/kg body weight) from day 6 to 19 of gestation caused, as compared to control, significant reductions in body weight, feed consumption, absolute uterine weight and number of implantations. Significantly higher incidence of skeletal (wavy ribs, 14th rib, <6 sternal centre, dumbell-shaped second and fifth sternebrae, incomplete ossification of skull and thickening of tibia) and visceral (subcutaneous haemorrhage) abnormalities were also observed in NaF-treated dams than that of control. Oral administration of vitamin C (50 mg/kg body weight) and vitamin E (2 mg/0.2 ml olive oil/animal/day) from day 6 to 19 of gestation along with NaF significantly ameliorates NaF-induced reductions in body weight, feed consumption, absolute uterine weight (only with vitamin E treatment) and number of implantations. As compared with NaF-treated alone, the total percentage of skeletal and visceral abnormalities were significantly lowered in fluoride plus vitamin C-treated animals. Vitamin E was less effective. These findings suggest that vitamin C significantly reduced the severity and incidence of fluoride-induced embryotoxicity in rats.