Introduction: Obesity is an epidemic health problem that has many adverse effects on submandibular glands. Anthocyanins are potent antioxidants; therefore, they might ameliorate the obesity-induced oxidative stress.
Aim: This study aimed at evaluating the therapeutic effect of anthocyanins on the high-fat diet induced oxidative stress on submandibular salivary glands in rats.
Materials and Methods: Thirty adult albino rats were distributed into three groups. Control group (I): received normal diet, High-fat diet group (II) and High-fat diet + Anthocyanin group (III): received high-fat diet for eight weeks. Then, group (III) received an intra-peritoneal injection of Anthocyanins (100 mg/kg) for 7 days. After euthanasia, blood samples were collected for serological analysis. The glands were dissected and prepared for histological immunohistochemical and ultra-structural examination.
Results: Group II showed significant increase in insulin resistance, blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and insulin serum level and significant decrease in HDL and calcium serum level compared to group III. Histologically, group II showed alteration in acinar structure, cytoplasmic vacuoles, and lipid infiltration. Significant α-SMA and AnnexinV immunoreaction was seen at acinar borders and interlobular ducts compared to group III (p <0.001*) which revealed moderate restoration of normal gland architecture, reduction in lipid infiltration and apoptotic immunofluorescence.
Conclusions: High-fat diet resulted in alterations in the glandular architecture with marked lipid infiltration. It showed the highest αSMA immunopositivity and Annexin V immunofluorescence denoting severe apoptosis. However, anthocyanins had a counteracting lipolytic effect, as it moderately restored the normal glandular architecture, expressed the lowest αSMA immunoreactivity, and apoptosis immunofluorescence.