Protective action of melatonin against fluoride-induced hepatotoxicity in adult female mice

Given peritoneally over a 30-day period, melatonin (10 mg/kg bw/day) effectively countered toxic effects of orally administered sodium fluoride (NaF, 10 mg/kg bw/day) in the liver of adult female albino mice. Compared to NaF alone, the combined treatment prevented the NaF-induced decrease in body and liver weight as well as the decreased liver enzyme activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and the level of total liver protein. The NaF-induced increase in the activities of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) in the liver was also significantly diminished by melatonin. When the mice were given melatonin without exposure to NaF, no significant changes occurred in the above indices compared to controls. Thus melatonin was found to exert a significant protective action against fluoride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.