TAMARIND FRUIT EXTRACT AMELIORATES FLUORIDE TOXICITY BY UPREGULATING CARBONIC ANHYDRASE II: A MECHANISTIC STUDY

Objective: The ameliorative potential of tamarind fruit extract (TFE) in fluoride ion (F) toxicity by enhancing the urinary excretion of F is well known. However, its molecular mechanism is not yet known. Hence the present study objective is to explore the efficacy and mechanism of TFE in ameliorating fluoride toxicity in in vivo and in silico models. Methods: For this purpose, male Wistar National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) rats (n=18) were taken, randomly divided into three groups, and treated for 6 months with: (i) normal water (control group), (ii) water containing 100 mg F/L (F group), and (iii) 100 mg F/L water and TFE (200 mg/kg body weight (F+TFE group). The protein and mRNA expression of carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) in kidney homogenate were determined by western blotting and immunohistochemistry, and quantitative Realtime PCR respectively. Results: The urinary F excretion was increased in the F+TFE group as compared to the F group (p