Objective: 

The present study aims to examine how pinealectomy and melatonin administration affects oxidant stress and histological parameters in the duodenum and pancreas tissues of rats.

Methods: 

The study included 24 adult male Sprague-Dawley type rats, which were allocated to 4 groups: Group 1, control; Group 2, melatonin-administered control; Group 3, pinealectomy (Px); Group 4, pinealectomized, melatonin-administered group. Pineal glands of the animals in groups 3 and 4 were removed under general anesthesia. The animals in groups 2 and 4 were administered 3 mg/kg ip melatonin for 4 weeks. The protocol was apporoved by the local ethics committee and the study was carried out at the Experimental Research and Center of Yeditepe University. At the end of the experiments, MDA and GSH levels were studied in duodenum and pancreas tissue samples taken from the animals after decapitation. These tissue samples were fixed in 10% buffered formaldehyde. The tissue samples were then subjected to autotechnicon processing. The samples embedded in paraffin were sliced by microtome and the cross-sections were placed on slides. The preparations stained with hematoxylin eosin were examined using light microscopy.

Results: 

Pinealectomy (group 3) resulted in diffuse edema and an increase in MDA levels in duodenum and pancreas tissues. Melatonin administration (group 4) to pinealectomized animals significantly reversed these negative effects.

Conclusions: 

Results of the study demonstrate that pinealectomy leads to diffuse edema and lipid peroxidation in duodenum and pancreas tissues, and melatonin administration prevents these negative changes in the examined parameters.