Hematological and Histopathological Changes in the Spleen of Male Albino Rats (Rattus norvegicus) Treated with Meloxicam

Abstract

Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which works by lowering the levels of hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. However, its effect on human organs is yet to be investigated. Therefore, this study was aimed at examining the hematological and histopathological impacts of meloxicam drug on the spleen of male albino rats (Rattus norvegicus). Male albino rats, weighing 180-200 g and aged 6-7 weeks, were divided into two groups of ten rats each; experimental and control. The control group was administered with a sterile normal saline solution, while the experimental group received a meloxicam solution, both for seven weeks. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and the tissues were subjected to hematological and histological investigations. Some hematological parameters were determined. The results revealed histological changes in the spleen tissues of meloxicam-treated experimental rats, including the emergence of cellular degeneration and necrosis in both the white and red pulp. The presence of hemosiderin in the red pulp and cellular degeneration in the marginal zone as well as hyperplasia in the germinal center in the white pulp were also observed. Experimental animals administered with meloxicam revealed no significant changes in the number of red blood cells or packed cell volume in the hematological parameters. However, the platelets, white blood cells, and hemoglobin were significantly higher in the experimental group. The findings of this study revealed that meloxicam induces histological changes in the spleen architecture, as well as aberrant abnormalities in the various hematological parameters examined.