| 12 week study |
Chronic (>90 days) |
NaF (Fluka Chemical Corp., Milwaukee, WI) was dissolved in tap drinking water at concentrations of 100 and 300 ppm. Male rats were randomly assigned to control or experimental groups. Experimental male rats were provided access to drinking water containing NaF for 12 weeks. Control male rats were given tap water for the same period of time; NaF in the tap water was 1.2 ppm. Except for 4 unaccountable deaths in the 300-ppm group during the second week, all rats were healthy and continued to receive their respective drinking water throughout the experimental period.; Sixty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing approximately 250 g were bred in and obtained from the Animal House Unit at Jordan University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine, between June and December 2002. Rats were maintained at a controlled temperature of 21+/- 1 deg C and under a 12-hr-light:12-hrdark schedule. Food and water were supplied ad libitum. |