Morphological and morphometric changeMorphological and morphometric changes in the small intestine in drug-induced diabetic rats.s in the small intestine in drug-induced diabetic rats.

Abstract

The study of Morphological and Morphometric changes in the small intestine in drug-induced rats was undertaken using 120 albino (Wistar) rats.  The animals were randomly separated into four groups, A, B, C and D of thirty rats in each group.

      The first group (A) was used as the primary control group, the second group (B), the third group (C) and the fourth group (D) was used as test groups.  The test groups were administered with 200mg per kg body weight of alloxan, which is the diabetogenic dose through the intraperitoneal route (IP).  The second group (B) was used to study the direct effect of alloxan on the small intestine.  The third group (C) was used to study the effect of diabetes mellitus on the small intestine.  The fourth group (D) was used to study the effect of therapeutic agents on the small intestine.

      Histological examination of the intestinal mucosa and villi showed that they were affected in the test groups as compared to the control.  The surface amplification factor due to the jejunal villi was 5 to 6 in the Control group and 3 to 4 for the test groups of which the difference was significant between the Control group (A) and the test groups (P<0.05).  The mucosa and villi of the small intestine are reduced in height and the stroma enlarged in the test groups when compared with the Control.  The results revealed that there are morphological and morphometric changes in the small intestine due to the administration of diabetogenic dose of alloxan which consequently lead to diabetes mellitus in the rats.