Abstract

 

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the improving effects of melatonin on renal histological alterations

in streptozotocin (STZ)- induced diabetic rat model.

Material and Metods: Fifteen Sprague-Dawley adult female rats were divided into three groups: control, diabetic (D)

and diabetic treatment with melatonin (DM) groups. Experimental diabetes was induced by single dose STZ (45

mg/kg) intraperitoneally. After administration of STZ, the DM group began to receive a 10 mg/kg i.p. dose of

melatonin per day. These enjection were continued until the end of the study (8 week). At the end of

experimentation, blood glucose levels were determined and following routine tissue process kidneys were

embedded in paraffin. Histochemical and immunohistochemical stains were applied and the specimens examined by

light microscope.

Results: After 8 week, the rats in diabetes group had significantly lower body weight and significantly higher blood

glucose levels than the rats of control and DM group. The main histological changes resulting from diabetes were

detected in glomerular and tubular basal membrane and epithelial cells (glycogen accumulation, swelling and

vacuolization). We observed the positive improving effects of melatonin treatment on these findings.

Conclusion: We concluded that chronically administration melatonin reduced renal injury in STZ- induced diabetic

rats. Therefore, we believe that melatonin might be used to prevent development of diabetic renal damage.

However, further researches are needed on long-term uses of melatonin in order to show its positive effects on

diabetic complications.

Key Words: Experimental diabetes, Melatonin, Kidney, Histological alterations.