Effect of tamarind ingestion on fluoride excretion in humans

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of tamarind (Tamarindus indicus) ingestion on excretion of fluoride in school children. Design: Randomized, diet-control study. Subject: Twenty healthy boys were included and 18 of them completed the study. Interventions: Each subject consumed 10 g tamarind daily with lunch for 18 days at the social welfare boys' hostel. The nutrient composition of the daily diet was constant throughout the experimental period. Results: Tamarind intake led to significant increase (P < 0.001) in the excretion of fluoride in 24 h urine (4.8 AE 0.22 mg=day) as compared to excretion on control diet (3.5 AE 0.22 mg=day). However, excretion of magnesium and zinc decreased significantly (7.11 AE 1.48 mg of Mg and 252.88 AE 12.84 mg of Zn per day on tamarind diet as compared to 23.39 AE 3.68 mg of Mg and 331.78 AE 35.31 mg Zn per day on control diet). Excretion of calcium and phosphorous were not significantly different while creatinine excretion decreased with tamarind intake (225.66 AE 81 mg creatinine=day with tamarind and 294.5 AE 78.76 mg creatinine=day without tamarind). Conclusion: Tamarind intake is likely to help in delaying progression of fluorosis by enhancing urinary excretion of fluoride.

Tamarind: A Mini-Review

“…15 In traditional practice, the pulp is applied on inflammations and is also used in a gargle for sore throat. The pulp is said to aid the restoration of sensation in cases of paralysis.…”

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“…The pulp has been found to possess hypolipidemic activity [14]. Tamarind intake helps in delaying the progression of flourisis in humans by enhancing the urinary excretion of fluorine [15]. In traditional practice, the pulp is applied on inflammations …”

Porównanie stężenia fluorków w kościach człowieka, psa, lisa i jenota zamieszkujących północno‑zachodnią Polskę

“…Liczne są także prace dotyczące stężenia tego pierwiastka w kościach ludzkich [13,14,15,16,17,18]. Dużo mniej publikacji poświęconych jest stężeniu fluorków w utworach kostnych psowatych, w tym psa i lisa [1,2,19,20,21,22,23]. Wśród przeanalizowanych publikacji, w których obiektami badań były psowate, nie znaleziono ani jednej pracy dotyczącej stężenia fluorków w kościach jenota, co wskazuje, że gatunek ten dotychczas nie był wykorzystywany w bioindykacji zanieczyszczenia środowiska fluorkami.…”