title: Dose Dependent Hepatic and Endothelial Changes in Rats Treated with Dexamethasone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of dexamethasone on liver and endothelium, and to determine the optimum dose which induces the abnormal changes in liver and endothelium in Wistar rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Albino Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups (n=6). Control group rats received normal saline. Graded doses of dexamethasone (0.5,1,2,4,8 and 16mg/kg/ i.p.) was administered to the groups for six days. Liver and aorta were dissected at the end of the study and examined for histopathological changes under microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intraperitoneal administration of dexamethasone (4,8 and 16mg/kg) for six days resulted in fatty changes in liver and same doses have shown thickening of endothelial layers in aorta, in comparison to control group. There were not much significant changes seen in low doses of dexamethasone (0.5, 1 and 2mg/kg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that the acute high doses of dexamethasone (4,8 and 16mg/kg) for six days caused hepatic steatosis and showed mild to moderate arteriosclerosis in aorta. These changes may be secondary consequences of insulin resistance. Hence, it can be used as new animal model to screen the various plants and medicines in the treatment of insulin resistance.
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Pharmacology, Al-Ameen Medical College , Bijapur, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: V Hemanth
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Pharmacology, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE University , Mangalore, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Nagendra Nayak
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Im
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Al-Ameen Medical College , Bijapur, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Shobha V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Huilgol
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Al-Ameen Medical College , Bijapur, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Saeed M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yendigeri
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Pharmacology, Al-Ameen Medical College , Bijapur, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Narendar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: K
authors.affiliation: Tutor, Department of Pharmacology, KVG Medical College , Sullia, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Rajasekhar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ch
keywords: Arteriosclerosis; Glucocorticoids; Hepatic steatosis; Insulin resistance