Effects of L-arginine on fatty diet induced changes in adrenal cortex: a morphometric study

ABSTRACT

To study the effects of L-Arginine on high fat diet induced changes in adrenal cortex. A prospective experimental study. This study was conducted at the Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre Karachi from August 2008 to October 2008. Thirty male adult albino rats were taken for the study and were divided into three groups according to the dietary regimen. Group A received control diet. Group B received high fat diet with 20% added fat in the form of butter. Group C received high fat diet along with L-Arginine 300mg/kg/ day orally. After the end of the study period that is 8 weeks, animals were weighed and sacrificed. The adrenal glands were removed, fixed in buffered neutral formalin and after processing embedded in paraffin to form blocks. 4 micro m thick sections were cut and stained with H and E and Mallory's trichrome stains for morphometeric study. Highly significant increase in weight [P<0.001] was observed in animals of Group B and moderately significant [P<0.01] decrease was observed in Group c animals when compared to control and group B animals respectively. Cortical enlargement was found in zona glomerulosa and fasciculate and decreased thickness was observed in zona reticularis in group B animals, when compared to control, the results were highly significant [P<0.001]. In group C decreased cortical thickness was noted in zona glomerulosa and fasciculata but in zona Mallory's trichrome stained sections of Group B animals showed dilated blood vessels in the three cortical zones, more numerous in zona fasciculate when compared to control animals. In Group C no marked change was observed in all three cortical zones when compared to control. L-Arginine restricts the excessive weight gain caused by high fat diet. It also ameliorates the hypertrophic and vasodilatory effects on adrenal cortex caused by high fat diet