Diabetogenic Action of Alloxan on Liver Histopathology

The cytotoxic alloxan is the most prominent diabetogenic chemical agent in experimental diabetes research. Alloxan has been found to be selectively toxic to liver hepatocytes. The experiments aim to understand the effect of alloxan on cytomorphology of liver in rat. Treatment with alloxan caused central vein congestion with significant dilatation of sinusoidal spaces. The liver of the alloxan treated diabetic group showed hydropic degeneration and mild infiltration and small necrosed areas in some sections. Alloxan hepatocytes showed cloudy swelling and pyknosis of nuclei. Some sections showed beginning of pyknosis in hepatocytes and kupffer cells. The morphological changes that we observed in the livers of alloxan treated rat suggest impairment of the function of this tissue. Further research on the causes of liver damage will help us to unravel the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications.