Morphofunctional state of the salivary glands of Wistar rats under prolonged exposure to alcohol

In this study, sexually mature male albino Wistar rats consumed 20% ethanol (6.9  g/kg/day) for 180 consecutive days. PGs and SMGs were collected for morphometric and luminescence-histochemical analyses (nonparametric Mann–WhitneyU-test,p <  0.05). PGs exposed to ethanol for 180 days showed a change in the shape of the acini and secretory cells that formed them, uneven expansion of the interlobular excretory ducts, and moderate fatty infiltration of the stroma. SMGs exposed to ethanol for 180 days showed changes in acinar cells, in tercalated and striated ducts, fatty infiltration, mild atrophy, and stromal edema. The number of mast cells in PGs and SMGs and their degranulation index doubled after exposure to ethanol, and the cells were highly active. With prolonged 180-day alcohol intoxication, there was a gradual increase in the histamine level in the acini of the salivary glands, a decrease in the serotonin level and catecholamines in all structures of the salivary glands, and a gradual decrease in the activity of monoamine oxidase to the level of control. Therefore, prolonged 180-day ethanol intoxication can cause ne gative morphological changes and functional differences in the activity of monoamine oxidase and biogenic amines in the SMGs and PGs of rats.
Source: Comparative Clinical Pathology - Category: Pathology Source Type: research