Histopathology of fluoride-induced hepatotoxicity in rabbits

The effect of chronic and acute exposure to sodium fluoride (5, 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg body weight/day) for fifteen weeks on hepatic damage in young albino rabbits was evaluated. Histopathological examination revealed increasing degrees of hepatocellular necrosis, degenerative changes, hepatic hyperplasia, extensive vacuolization in hepatocytes, and centrilobular necrosis in the liver of the exposed animals. The central vein and sinusoids of the liver were dilated and engorged with blood and were associated with small areas of haemorrhages, These effects were not observed in the control group.