MELATONIN PRESERVES THE MORPHOLOGY OF PAROTID GLAND DAMAGED BY STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETES

Objectives: This study investigated the injurious effects of Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes on histology of rat salivary gland along with amelioration of these effects by the antioxidant melatonin. Methodology: This prospective experimental study was conducted in the department of Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, JPMC, Karachi for a period of 6 weeks from November to December, 2012. 45 male albino rats were divided into 3 groups, containing 15 animals each. Group A was treated as control, group B and C received 37 mg/kg STZ Intraperitoneally (i/p) once at the start of experiment, whereas group C additionally received 10mg/100 ml of melatonin (MEL) 3-days prior to STZ administration. After sacrificing the animals, the parotid glands were processed for histological examination and viewed under the light microscope. Results: The histological findings demonstrated changes in the parotid gland morphology of group B animals, such as the presence of lipid vacuoles in the serous acini and degeneration of the acinar cells. There was a significant reduction in the severity of these changes in melatonin treated group C. Serum glucose was significantly increased in both group B and C as compared to control. Total serum cholesterol was significantly increased in group B as compared to group A and C. Conclusions: STZ altered the histology of parotid gland by lipid infiltration and degeneration of acini. Melatonin suppressed the progression of damage induced by STZ due to its antioxidant properties and also reduced total serum cholesterol levels, but it could not decrease STZ induced hyperglycemia.