Effect of glimepiride on the aorta of adult albino rats after induction of diabetes mellitus

Introduction Diabetes mellitus is a chronic progressive disease that is associated with longterm complications such as diabetic angiopathy. Glimepiride is a third-generation sulfonyleurea that has an extrapancreatic effect on glucose metabolism besides its hypoglycemic action. Aim The aim of the study was to assess the effect of glimepiride on the aorta of the adult albino rat after induction of diabetes mellitus. Materials and methods Forty adult male albino rats were used. They were divided into two main groups: group I and group II. Group I was the control group and group II was the experimental group. Group II was further divided into group IIA, in which 10 rats received glimepiride orally for 8 successive weeks, group IIB, in which 10 rats were given streptozotocin by means of a single intraperitoneal injection, and group IIC, in which 10 rats were given streptozotocin by means of a single intraperitoneal injection and were then given glimepiride orally for 8 successive weeks. Thus, a total of four groups of rats were studied. Five rats were randomly selected and sacrificed after 4 weeks, and another five rats were sacrificed after 8 weeks from the beginning of the experiment. The aorta was taken from each group and prepared for histological and electron microscopic examinations. Results The aortic tissue of the diabetic rats in group IIB showed apparent intimal thickening and accumulation of fatty cells within the subendothelial region with disturbance in the connective tissue distribution in the intima and the media. Electron microscopic study revealed atrophic endothelial cells in the intima. The internal elastic lamina was interrupted and the smooth muscle cells showed intracytoplasmic fat droplets. In group IIC, the aorta showed mild thickening and minimal fatty deposition in the subendothelial region. Electron microscopy revealed that the intima and the internal elastic lamina were nearly intact as in the control group. Conclusion It could be concluded that glimepiride could alleviate the progression of aortic affection produced in case of experimentally induced diabetes mellitus.