The Effect of Resveratrol Therapy on The Vascular Responses Caused by Chronic Fluorosis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of resveratrol therapy on the contraction-relaxation responses of the thoracic aorta rings and on the blood pressure of rats exposed to chronic fluorosis. The study was conducted using 80 male and female Sprague Dawley rats weighing 200-250 g. The rats were randomly divided into 8 same gender groups of 10 (4 groups of male rats and 4 of female rats) and administered, for each gender via the drinking water, (i) 0 mg/L of sodium fluoride (NaF) and 0 mg/L of resveratrol (control groups); (ii) 10 mg/L of NaF; (iii) 50 mg/L of resveratrol; and (iv) 10 mg/L of NaF and 50 mg/L of resveratrol. Blood pressures were measured on days 30, 60, and 90 in each group. At the end of day 90, the contraction-relaxation responses of the thoracic aorta rings were examined in an isolated organ bath. The analysis on the serum fluorine level revealed that the serum fluorine level was elevated in all the rats administered NaF. For each gender, the most marked elevations in the blood pressures were seen, on all three days, in the NaF groups. In both the male and female groups, the chronic administration of resveratrol with NaF led to decreased blood pressures. The contraction response resulting from phenylephrine administration was increased in the groups administered NaF, whereas it was decreased in the groups administered NaF+resveratrol. In the groups administered resveratrol, the maximal relaxing effect was achieved by acetylcholine. In the groups administered NaF, the relaxation responses caused by SNP (sodium nitroprusside) were similar to those in the other study groups. The results of this study indicate that resveratrol provides a protective effect against the increased blood pressure caused by NaF and the potential endothelial damage. The protective effect of resveratrol results from its capability to reduce fluorine-induced oxidative stress and endothelial tissue damage. Further studies are warranted to investigate the adverse effects in the veins exposed to chronic fluorosis and the molecular mechanisms of the potential protective effects of resveratrol against these adverse effects.