Extract of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi intensifies morphological alterations in the colon of diabetic rats

Abstract

There are several challenges in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Some of these challenges include the discovery of bioactive compounds with the potential to be adjuncts in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. In this study, the effects of hydroethanolic extract of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi on physiological, morphological, and quantitative parameters of the colon of diabetic rats were investigated. For this purpose, 16 90-day-old rats were randomly divided into four groups: Normoglycemics (N); normoglycemics treated with (50 mg/kg) the hydroethanolic extract of S. terebinthifolius Raddi (NA); streptozotocin-induced diabetics (D); and streptozotocin-induced diabetics treated with the hydroethanolic extract of S. terebinthifolius Raddi (DA). The diabetic rats had diarrhea, weight loss, increased water and food intake, and high blood glucose levels. In addition, atrophy of the entire intestinal wall and submucosa, hypertrophy of the muscularis mucosae, and changes in the histoarchitecture of the intestinal crypts and enterocytes were observed in groups NA, D, and DA. In addition, changes in collagen remodeling and the ganglia of the enteric nervous system, as well as changes in goblet cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes, were observed only in groups D and DA. Our results show that treatment with S. terebinthifolius Raddi extract does not protect the colon from the damage caused by diabetes, nor does it reverse physiological parameters. Moreover, the treatment caused morphological and quantitative changes in the colon of normoglycemic rats and intensified the damage caused by diabetes.