Abstract Fluoride, a non-metallic, negatively charged halogen poses serious health risks to different organisms. Animal experiments and epidemiological studies indicate that excess fluoride damage an array of organs and systems, including male reproductive system. Different antioxidants can be used to lessen the adverse impacts of fluoride. This study was aimed to find out the detrimental consequences of fluoride and subsequent mitigation by vitamin C and E in the male reproductive system. Animals were randomly divided into four groups, group I- control; group II- treated with sodium fluoride (NaF) at a dose of 15 mg/kg/day; group III- supplemented with vitamin C (200 mg/kg/day) and vitamin E (400 mg/kg/day) along with NaF; group IV- only vitamin C and E for 30 consecutive days. Fluoride treatment compromised structural integrity of testis and epididymis, as evidenced by histomorphometry and scanning electron microscopy. Enhanced testicular and epididymal oxidative stress was also noted in treated group as evidenced by altered Nrf2 expression. Decreased expression of StAR and reduced levels of 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD, FSH, LH and testosterone in treated group indicate altered testicular steroidogenesis. Fluoride treatment also led to occurrence of apoptosis in testis and epididymis which was assessed by the genomic and proteomic level of Bax, Bcl2, Caspase 3 and Caspase 9. Overexpression of TNF-α and NF-κβ designate the manifestation of testicular inflammation upon fluoride exposure. Structural anomaly, altered redox status and augmented apoptotic event in spermatozoa were also the destructive consequence in fluoride treated group. However, supplementation revealed considerable recovery from these adverse consequences.
Pal et al. (Fri,) studied this question.