1M. Sc. Student, P.G. Department of Home Science, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388 120
2Research Fellow, P.G. Department ofHome Science, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388120
3Senior Lecturer, P.G. Department ofHome Science. Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388120
4Prof. and Head, P.G. Department of Home Science, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388120
5Retd. Prof and Head, P.G. Department of Home Science, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388 120.
Department of Home Science, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, India
* Part of the research carried out under the UGC-financed Major Research Project titled “Calcium and Protein as protective agents against fluoride toxicity”.
A study was carried out to observe the beneficial effects of graded levels of calcium with 1 ppm fluoride. Weanling female albino rats weighing 38 to 59 gm were divided into four groups. Group I was fed 500 mg% calcium (control group) while group II, III and IV were given 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg% caldum, respectively. After 6 weeks of treatment, all the animals were dissected. The parameters studied were food intake, weight gain, blood hemoglobin, plasma total protein, plasma alkaline phosphatase activity, liver fresh weight, liver: body weight ratio and bone for length, moisture, fat, ash, calcium and phosphorus content. It was evident that as calcium in the diet increased, food intake, growth, bone fresh weight, dry weight, fat free dry weight and bone fluoride content decreased whereas plasma alkaline phosphatase activity increased. The study indicated that when fluoride was given at a toxic level (100 ppm) with graded levels of calcium, it decreased the diet intake, weight gain and bone weight without affecting the bone mineral content.
