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Abstract Introduction : Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high levels of blood glucose as a result of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90–95% of those with diabetes. Metformin is a potent antihyperglycemic agent widely used in the management of type 2 diabetes. The gastrointestinal complications of diabetes have become increasingly prevalent as the rate of diabetes has increased. Animals and methods : This work was carried out on twenty one adult male albino rats. They were divided into three groups of seven rats each i.e. control group, diabetic group and metformin group. Animals of all groups were sacrificed at the end of the experiment and blood samples were collected for blood glucose, GSH and MDA levels measurement. Midline incision was made in the abdomen. The intestine was exposed, removed, washed with purified buffered saline and weighed. Samples were collected from jejunum, ileum, colon and rectum and kept in 10% neutral buffered formalin. Paraffin sections were prepared and stained with haematoxylin & eosin, PACNA and caspase3 stains. Results : Diabetic group showed increase in body weight after high fat diet followed by decrease in body weight after streptozotocin injection. It also showed increase in blood glucose level, weight of intestine and MDA level and decrease in GSH level. Hematoxylin and Eosin stained sections of intestine from diabetic group showed damaged villi and loss of tip of villi in both ileum and jejunum. Inflammatory cell infiltrate was observed in the jejunum, ilium and colon. The ilium and colon showed congested blood vessels in diabetic group. Villi width in jejunum, depth of crypts in colon and rectum were increased. The muscle thickness in ilium and colon was increased while in rectum it was decreased in diabetic group. PCNA stained sections of diabetic group showed increase in proliferation rate of cells in the jejunum, colon and rectum. Caspase3 stained sections of diabetic group showed increase in cell apoptosis in jejunum but decrease in colon and rectum Metformin group showed increase in body weight and GSH level and decrease in blood glucose and MDA levels. Metformin decreased the inflammatory cellular infiltrate in the jejunum, ileum and colon of diabetic rats. Metformin also showed increase in the villi length in jejunum and decrease in muscle thickness in ileum and colon. PCNA stained sections of metformin group showed decrease in proliferation rate of cells in jejunum, colon and the caspase3 stained sections showed increase in cell apoptosis in colon and rectum. Conclusion: Administration of metformin showed protective effects on the intestine of diabetic rats. |