Background:
Diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic condition with rising incidence rates, burdens public health. Xerostomia, induced by salivary gland dysfunction, is a common diabetes consequence that causes oral infections and speech and mastication problems. Metformin is an efficient antidiabetic, however, its effects on salivary gland function are unclear. This study aims to investigate the effect of diabetes on the salivary gland and to assess the potential ability of metformin to counter the diabetes effect on the salivary gland
Methodology:
Eighteen adult male albino rats were divided into three groups: control, streptozotocin, and metformin. In streptozotocin, and metformin groups diabetes was induced and only the metformin group received oral administration of metformin 100 mg/kg. After 28 days, all rats were euthanized, and the parotid glands were dissected. Hematoxylin & Eosin stain and quantitative real-time PCR analysis were performed to evaluate histological changes and gene expression, respectively.
Results:
The streptozotocin group showed significant histological and morphometric changes in the salivary gland compared to the control group. However, the metformin group showed significant improvement in the histological picture compared to the streptozotocin group. The gene expression of TNF-α and IL-6 was significantly elevated in the streptozotocin group, while metformin administration significantly reduced their expression.
Conclusion:
The study suggests that metformin has a potential protective effect on salivary gland function in diabetic rats. These results provide valuable insights into the potential therapeutic use of metformin in treating xerostomia in individuals with diabetes.