[Changes of coenzyme Q content in brain tissues of rats with fluorosis]

Animal models with pathological damage caused by chronic fluorosis to a different extent were duplicated in Wistar rats by feeding them with 66.3 mg/L and 221 mg/L fluorine-containing water for three, five and seven months, respectively. Cholesterol, dolichol and coenzyme Q in animal brain tissues were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Results showed that no significant difference of cholesterol and dolichol contents in brian tissues between rats with fluorosis and normal controls were detected. Coenzyme Q content of brain tissue in rats fed with fluorine-containing water decreased at early stage of fluorosis, but increased significantly at late stage. It is speculated that changes in content of coenzyme Q could correlate with changes in free radical levels induced by fluorine.