Ionic and histological studies of salivary glands in rats with diabetes and their glycemic state after laser irradiation.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of laser irradiation (LI) on the glycemic state and the histological and ionic parameters of the parotid and submandibular glands in rats with diabetes.

METHODS

One hundred twenty female rats were divided into eight groups. Diabetes was induced by administration of streptozotocin and confirmed later according to results of glycemia testing. Twenty-nine days after the induction, the parotid and submandibular glands of the rats were irradiated with 5, 10, and 20 J/cm2 using a laser diode (660 nm/100 mW) (without diabetes: C5, C10, and C20; with diabetes: D5, D10, and D20, respectively). On the following day, the rats were euthanized, and blood glucose determined. Histological and ionic analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Rats with diabetes without irradiation (D0) showed lipid droplets accumulation in the parotid gland, but accumulation decreased after 5, 10, and 20 J/cm2 of laser irradiation. A decrease in fasting glycemia level from 358.97+/-56.70 to 278.33+/-87.98 mg/dL for D5 and from 409.50+/-124.41 to 231.80+/-120.18 mg/dL for D20 (p<0.05) was also observed.

CONCLUSION

LI should be explored as an auxiliary therapy for control of complications of diabetes because it can alter the carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of rats with diabetes.