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Protective effects of Moringa oleifera against dexamethasone-induced pulmonary and splenic histopathological damage in Mice | ||
| Al-Zahraa Journal for Health and Medical Sciences | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 19 August 2026 | ||
| Document Type: Research Article | ||
| DOI: 10.66723/zjhms.2026.173733.1177 | ||
| Author | ||
| Sara Faez Hassan* | ||
| Department of Pathological Analyses, College of Applied Sciences, Samarra University, Samarra, Iraq. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Prolonged administration of dexamethasone, a potent synthetic glucocorticoid, often induces severe structural alterations and oxidative stress in vital organs like the lungs and spleen. This study aimed to evaluate the histopathological impacts of prolonged dexamethasone exposure on murine pulmonary and splenic tissues, and to determine whether concurrent administration of an aqueous Moringa oleifera extract could mitigate this drug-induced damage. Twenty-one adult male Swiss albino mice were randomly divided into three equal groups. The control group received no intervention. The second group was administered intramuscular dexamethasone at one mg/kg daily for twenty-one days. The third group received the same dexamethasone dose alongside oral Moringa oleifera extract at fifty mg/kg daily for twenty-one days. Tissue samples were evaluated using standard histopathological grading, morphometric analysis, and quantification of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH). Dexamethasone significantly elevated total lung and splenic lesion scores, thickened interalveolar septa, reduced mean alveolar area, and increased inflammatory cell infiltration. It also significantly reduced splenic white pulp diameter and area fraction, alongside raising MDA and lowering GSH levels, indicating severe oxidative stress. Conversely, concurrent administration of Moringa oleifera significantly reduced lung lesion scores, septal thickness, inflammatory infiltration, and MDA levels, while significantly increasing alveolar area, white pulp metrics, and GSH levels. These findings strongly indicate that Moringa oleifera effectively attenuates dexamethasone-induced pulmonary injury and partially preserves splenic architecture. This protective effect is associated with an improved tissue redox profile, although the exact molecular mechanisms require further investigation. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Oxidative stress; Glucocorticoids; Antioxidant; Immunomodulation | ||
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