Long- term effect of melatonin on submandibular salivary glands in old rats

ABSTRACT

The effect of melatonin on the submandibular salivary glands of old rats was studied using 20 control and 20 experimental rats which had received melatonin daily for 5 months. The glands were first weighed and then processed for light and electron microscopy. The glands of the melatonin rats were significantly heavier than the controls. With light microscopy, the control group showed a loss of normal architecture of the acini and multiple degenerative changes whereas in the melatonin group the acini had clear architecture and few degenerative changes. With electron microscopy, the control group again showed degenerative changes and little cellular activity whereas the melatonin group had features which indicated increased cellular activity