Liver citrate levels in parathyroidectomized rats fed toxic amounts of inorganic fluoride

Liver citrate concentrations and food consumption were measured in parathyroidectomized rats fed a low fluoride control diet, or the control diet containing 600 ppm F, as sodium fluoride, for 3- and 14-day experimental periods. Liver citrate concentrations were significantly increased in the parathyroidectomized rats fed the fluoride diet for either 3 or 14 days, but food consumption, which was significantly depressed at 3 days, returned to normal at 14 days. In rats with intact parathyroid glands fed the fluoride diet, liver citrate concentrations were elevated at 3 days, but returned to control levels after 14 days (Shearer, Le Saouter and Suttie, 1971). It is concluded that parathyroid hormone insufficiency is not part of the mechanism by which fluoride elevates liver citrate concentrations in rats at 3 days, and that parathyroidectomy somehow retards adaptation to diet containing toxic levels of fluoride at 14 days.