Effect of melatonin on the morphology of adrenal cortex altered by streptozotocin

Background: in experimental animal models,streptozotocin (stz) causes hypertrophy and disruption of the layers of adrenal cortex,and administration of melatonin protects the adrenal cortex damaged by stress-induced oxidative damage. aim: to observe the effect of melatonin on the body weight,serum glucose and acth,and morphology of adrenal cortex in stz treated adrenal glands of albino rats. duration of study: 01 november to 15 december 2013. study design: prospective experimental study. place of study: anatomy department at bmsi,jpmc,karachi. methods: sixty healthy adult albino rats were included in the study and divided equally into 3 groups for 6 weeks. group-a was taken as control. group-b received stz i/p in a dose of 37 mg/kg body weight. group-c received stz in the same dose and additionally received 10 mg/100 ml melatonin in drinking water for 6 weeks. results: stz significantly increased serum glucose and decreased weight in group b animals and in group c. melatonin could not restore serum glucose or the body weights reduced by stz. however,melatonin preserved the morphology of the layers of adrenal cortex and also restored serum acth levels. conclusion: melatonin in diabetic state protects the adrenal cortex from stress induced damage but it cannot reduce hyperglycemia or restore the body weight.