A Natural Hope for Salivary Gland Health: Histological Evaluation of Cinnamic Acid in Diabetic Rats

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible potential of cinnamic acid in preserving the structure and function of the parotid gland in diabetic rats. Methods: The rats (n=32) were equally divided into four groups: Control (only physiological serum), Cinnamic acid (cinnamic acid 50 mg/kg/ day), Streptozotocin-induced diabetes (experimentally-induced diabetes by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin 65 mg/kg), and Diabetes + cinnamic acid (cinnamic acid after diabetes induction). After the rats were sacrificed, tissue samples were obtained and processed for paraffin embedding. To visualize the histological structure, Hematoxylin&Eosin, Masson's Trichrome, and Periodic Acid-Schiff histochemical stains were applied, and images were captured. Results: While normal serous acini, canal structures and normal connective tissue were observed in the control and cinnamic acid groups, deformation and atrophy were observed in some acinar cells in the diabetic group. In the treatment group, improvement in the shape of acinar cells and regular arrangement of parietal cells in glandular canals were noted compared to the diabetic group. The intense vacuolization observed in acinar cells in the diabetic group decreased in the treatment group. Periodic Acid-Schiff-positive reaction was determined in the basement membranes of acinar cells and parietal cells in glandular canals in all groups. No visible difference was obtained between the groups. Conclusion: Diabetes affects the parotid gland, and cinnamic acid has been shown to prove a healing effect on deformed areas. Our study will guide further research in this area.