Introduction:Neostigmine is parasympathomimetic drug. It is commonly used for treatment of myasthenia gravis, glaucoma, urinary retention, xerostomia, and post-operative ileus. Parasympathomimetic drugs increase the rate of salivation. Dry mouth is a frequent clinical complain among diabetic patients.
Objectives:The present study is designed to investigate the effect of neostigmine administration on the ultrastructure of the parotid salivary gland in rats with induced diabetes.
Materials and methods: Twenty one adult male rats were divided into three equal groups (seven rats each) Group I: Control group, Group II: Induced diabetes group (with no treatment), Group III: Induced diabetes group (with Therapeutic doses of Neostigmine which were administered intramuscularly every other day for one month. Diabetes was induced by a single intravenous injection of Streptozotocin. After one month all rats were sacrificed and the parotid glands were excised and processed for scanning electron microscopy. Histomorphometric analysis of the number of the intra-cellular vacuoles was done, and the data obtained were statistically analyzed.
Results There was a statistically significant difference between the studied groups regarding the diameter of secretory granules, as it was increased in neostigmine treated group and decreased in diabetic group. Also there was restoration of the density and organization of the nerve distribution adjacent to secretory acini in neostigmine treated group.
Conclusions: The ultrastructural findings noticed in this study substantiate the use of Neostigmine in cases of diabetes associated xerostomia.