Special Issue Article
Navathej A, Sujatha K and S
Abstract
The present study was designed to evaluate the ameliorative effect of Aloe vera extract on fluoride induced toxic changes in soft tissues of rats. The present study was carried out by procuring 72 male Wistar albino rats that were randomly divided into four groups consisting of 18 rats in each group. Sodium Fluoride was gavaged per orally using water as vehicle @ 18 mg NaF/kg body weight to groups II and Aloe Vera @ 200 mg/kg body wt. in distilled water was given along with Sodium Fluoride to group IV for 6 weeks to study ameliorative effects. Group I and III were treated with distilled water and Aloe vera respectively. Six rats from each group were sacrificed at fortnight interval. Gross changes were noticed in liver, testis, lung and spleen. Histopathologically, the liver revealed perivascular and periportal infiltration of MNCs, vesicular fatty change, periportal fibroblast proliferation, extensive bile ductular proliferation. In kidneys, atrophied and cystic glomeruli, extensive degenerative changes in tubular epithelial cells were noticed. Cerebrum revealed gliosis and demyelinating changes and in cerebellum. In testes, interstitial edema, desquamation of germinal epithelium and eosiniphillic granular debris in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules and necrotic changes were noticed. In Aloe vera ameliorated rats, these changes in different organs were less intense and by the end of experiment liver came to near normal appearance.