Fluoride is an important micronutrient for humans health, but etiology of diseases related to its deficit in the body is still not described. Exposure to fluoride emission can cause fluorosis, inhibition of many enzyme activities, change in protein synthesis, and metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. Fluoride can also have a significant effect on free radical processes and antioxidant enzyme activities.
In recent years interest in natural antioxidants has increased. This is important for two reasons. First, the daily human diet should be rich in components which protect our body from an oxidative stress. Second, natural antioxidants can be added to food as an alternative to synthetic ones. Herbs, next to vegetables and fruits, have many biologically active substances, including antioxidants. Many species from the Lamiaceae family contain compounds, which have antioxidant properties.
The aim of the experiment was to compare fluoride content and antioxidant activity of infusions obtained from herbs of Lamiaceae species.
In the experiment fifteen samples of herb species were used: Mentha piperita (herba), Lavandula angustifolia (flos), Origanum vulgare (folium), Satureja hortensis (herba), Satureja montana (herba), Ocimum basilicum (herba), Ocimum basilicum purpurea (herba), Melissa officinalis (folium), Salvia officinalis (folium), Leonurus cardiaca (herba), Thymus vulgaris (herba), Hyssopus officinalis (herba), Rosmarinus officinalis (herba), Thymus citrodorus (herba), Nepeta fasseni (herba). All plant material was obtained the Horticultural Experimental Station in Dołuje.
The method of infusions preparation: boiled deionised water was added to 1 g of herbs and brewed for 5 or 15 min. Then infusions were filtered  and cooled. Obtained solutions were used to analyse fluoride content (using the potentiometric method with an Orion Research ion-selective electrode) and the percent inhibition of the DPPH (using the spectrophotometric method with UV-1800 Shimadzu spectrophotometer).
The experiment proved that 15-min infusions were characterized by higher fluoride concentration than the one brewed only 5-min. The highest fluoride content 15-min infusions was noted of Salvia officinalis (0,053 mg·dm^-3). However in 5-min infusions the highest content of these ions was observed of Lavandula angustifolia (0,048 mg·dm^-3). There were no significant differences in antioxidant activity between 5-min and 15-min infusions – the largest percent inhibition of the DPPH was observed in infusions of Origanum vulgare, Satureja hortensis, Thymus citrodorus and Nepeta fasseni. Moreover in 15-min infusions significant negative correlation between fluoride content and antioxidant activity was noted.

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