The efficacy of montelukast as a protective agent against 131I-induced salivary gland damage in rats: scintigraphic and histopathological findings

AimThis study was designed to evaluate the efficiency of montelukast as a novel radioprotective agent against sodium [131I]iodide or potassium [131I]iodide (131I)-induced salivary gland damage in a rat model. Materials and methodsThe function and structure of salivary glands in 50 albino Wistar rats were evaluated with technetium-99m pertechnetate scintigraphies and histopathological examination. The animals were classified into five groups as follows: the control group (sham operated); group 1 (n=10; only 131I administration), group 2 (n=10; administration with 131I and montelukast); group 3 (n=10; 131I administration after total thyroidectomy); and group 4 (n=10; administration with 131I and montelukast after total thyroidectomy). All rats were killed at the end of the third month and three pairs of salivary glands were removed surgically. ResultsThe scintigraphic evaluation revealed better results for groups administered montelukast than it did for other groups. Statistically significant differences (P<0.05 or P<0.001) were found between the control group and the other groups as well as between groups 1 and 3 (n=20) and groups 2 and 4 (n=20). However, there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between groups 1 and 2 (n=20) and groups 3 and 4 (n=20). Histopathological examinations showed that pathological changes were significantly high in the groups treated with 131I without montelukast when compared with the other groups. ConclusionThis is the first study on rats to assess the protective effect of montelukast on salivary glands after 131I therapy. According to our results, montelukast was found to be a potential protective agent against 131I-induced damage on salivary glands.