INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, cilt.27, sa.2, ss.519-525, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
Oxygen free radicals are considered to be important components involved in the pathophysiological tissue alterations observed during ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). In this study, we investigated the putative protective effects of melatonin treatment on pancreatic I/R injury. Sprague Dawley male rats were subjected to 30 min of pancreatic pedicle occlusion followed by 90 min reperfusion. Melatonin (10 mg/kg. s.c) was administrated 30 min prior to ischemia or I/R application. At the end of the reperfusion periods, rats were decapitated. Pancreatic samples were taken for transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that ischemia created b cell damage as evidenced by dilatation between the nucleus inner and outer membrane and degeneration on islets of Langerhans cells, was reversed by melatonin treatment. As melatonin administration reversed these microscopic damage, it seems likely that melatonin protects pancreatic tissue against oxidative damage.