This study was conducted in University of Babylon / College of science / Department of Biology from September 2019 – May 2020.
The present study aimed to investigate the effect of starvation on the morphological and histological structure of the gastrointestinal tract and liver in local rabbits, measurements of body weight loss ,weight of each organ of the GIT and liver , the length of each organ of the GIT, macroscopic examination and histological study of the GIT organs and liver , in addition to measuring the thickness of tunics of each organ in the GIT.
To obtain this goal, specimens from the gastrointestinal tract organs and liver were collected from 25 rabbits their weight ranged between (1200 ?1800 gm), divided into 1 control group and 4 groups subjected to different starvation periods of 5 rabbits each. The 4 groups were starved for (3,6,9 and 12) days.
The present study results showed that the body weight and GIT weight of all the starved animals showed a significant decrease (P?0.05) in comparison with the control group. A significant decrease (P?0.05) in the length of GIT in the S12 group as compared with the control group. A significant decrease (P?0.05) was observed in the weight and length of the esophagus in the S3 and S12 groups as compared with the control group. In all the starved groups a significant decrease (P?0.05) was observed in the weight of stomach and duodenum as compared with the control group, the stomach length significantly decreased (P?0.05) in S3 group while the jejunum and ileum weight showed a significant decrease (P?0.05) in the S6, S9 and S12 as compared with the control group and their length decreased significantly (P?0.05) in S9 group as compared with the control group. The cecum weight in all the starved groups was observed to show significant decrease (P?0.05) as compared with the control group. The proximal colon weight in the S3, S6 and S12 groups decreased significantly (P?0.05) as compared with the control group. The weight of the distal colon was found to show significant decrease (P?0.05) in all the starved groups as compared with the control group. The vermiform appendix weight in the S3, S9 and S12 group was observed to show significant decrease (P?0.05) as compared with the control group. The weight of the rectum in the S6 and S9 groups was observed to show a significant decrease (P?0.05) as compared with the control group. The liver weight in all the starved groups was observed to show a significant decrease (P?0.05) as compared with the control group.
The macroscopic observation revealed changes due to starvation stress mostly in the stomach and proximal colon , these changes included a shrinkage in the shape of the stomach, separation of the stomach wall from the lining with an increase in the presence and numbers of the longitudinal folds especially in the fundic part as compared with the control group. The proximal colon first segment in the S6, S9 and S12 groups contains protrusions which rised to the surface as tiny bubbles, in all the starved groups the space between these protrusions which almost disappeared and the protrusions sticked to each other.

In the duodenum the histological changes included congestion congested serosal vessels in the S6 group and congestion in the mucosa of the S9 and S12 groups, a significant decrease (P?0.05) in the mucosa thickness in S6, S9 and S12 groups. The duodenal villi length was found to show a significant decrease (P?0.05) in the S9 and S12 groups as compared with the control group.
The jejunum changes were found to be limited to congestion in the submucosa in S3 and S12 groups and congestion in the muscularis in the S12, the mucosa thickness showed a significant decrease (P?0.05) in S12 group only, the submucosa decreased significantly (P?0.05) in the S6, S9 and S12 groups, while the muscularis showed a significant decrease (P?0.05) in the S6 and S12 groups. The jejunal villi length showed a significant decrease (P?0.05) in the S6, S9 and S12 groups as compared with the control group. On the other hand, the ileum showed reduced mucosal lymphoid tissue in the S6 and S9 groups, an absent lymphoid in the S12 group and congestion of the submucosa in the S3, S9 and S12 groups, a significant decrease (P?0.05) in the thickness of the mucosa, submucosa and muscularis layers in the S6, S9 and S12 groups. The ileum villi length showed a significant decrease (P?0.05) in the S6, S9 and S12 groups as compared with the control group.