Vol. 129 No. 2 (2025)
Original Article

Effects of streptozocin-induced diabetes on the histomorphometry of the small and large intestines of male Sprague Dawley rats

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  • Patience Nompumelelo Nziyane,
  • Matome Leightone Mpholwane,
  • Nkosiphendule Khuthazelani Xhakaza
Patience Nompumelelo Nziyane
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, South Africa
Matome Leightone Mpholwane
Department of Physiology and Environmental Health, University of Limpopo, Sovenga, 0727, South Africa
Nkosiphendule Khuthazelani Xhakaza
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, South Africa
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ijae-15973

Published 2025-12-30

Keywords

  • gastrointestinal tract,
  • diabetes mellitus,
  • Sprague Dawley rats,
  • streptozocin (STZ),
  • antidiabetic herbal medication

How to Cite

Nziyane, P. N., Mpholwane, M. L., & Xhakaza, N. K. (2025). Effects of streptozocin-induced diabetes on the histomorphometry of the small and large intestines of male Sprague Dawley rats. Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, 129(2), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.36253/ijae-15973

Copyright (c) 2025 Patience Nompumelelo Nziyane, Matome Leightone Mpholwane, Nkosiphendule Khuthazelani Xhakaza

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) disorders affecting intestinal tissues are common among diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. GIT side effects of antidiabetic medication are a reason for an increase in use of antidiabetic herbal medicine, prompting research that uses 50mg/kg of streptozocin (STZ) to induce DM in animal experiments prior to testing safety and efficacy of the herbs over 21 days in most experiments. As DM is a progressive disease, it is not clear whether 21 days of DM is enough to induce intestinal tissue changes. We investigated effects of 50mg/kg STZ induced DM in intestines of male Sprague Dawley rats observed over 21 days. Intestinal tissues of 16 (control, n=8, STZ diabetic=8) rats stained with Masson’s Trichrome, hematoxylin and eosin were used. Villi height, width, number of goblet cells (GC), mucosa, submucosal collagen fibre (SCF) and muscularis externa (ME) were measured using ImageJ software in photomicrographs taken from slides with a microscope camera. Means were analysed using SPSS software. In DM animals, there was a significant increase in width of ileal villi (p < 0.001), reduction in number of GC in jejunum (p = 0.033) and ileum (p <0.001). SCF thickness increased in duodenum (p < 0.001), jejunum (p = 0.003), ileum (p = 0.005), and colon (p = 0.004). ME only increased in ileum (p = 0.004). 50mg/kg STZ DM induces significant changes across the intestines over 21 days, suggesting that this duration is effective for experimental modelling for future DM studies on the intestines.

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