Effect of cortisol on submandibular salivary gland

Abstract

Histological changes caused by cortisone on submandibular salivary glands were investigated in female rats. Thirty non-pregnant female rats were randomly divided into two groups having equal numbers. Their weights were about 1 kg. The first group was intramuscularly injected for two weeks with 1mg/kg B. wt./day with hydrocortisone sodium succinate i.e. treated group. The second group was kept non - treated "control group." Results showed that marked morphological changes were induced. At light microscopical study, the changes in the treated group induced significant shrinkage of mucous and serous acini, distortion in the arrangement of acinar cells with ill-defined cellular outline, pyknosis of the nuclei and the presence of variable size of vacuoles in many acinar cells. Also, our findings showed that great changes were occurred in the diameter of striated ducts as well as in the height of ductal cells of striated ducts. On the basis of these results, it is possible that cortisol may cause severe changes in the cells of submandibular salivary glands of rats