OXIDATIVE STRESS IS MARKEDLY REDUCED BY COMBINED VOLUNTARY EXERCISE AND TESTOSTERONE IN THE HEART OF DIABETIC RATS

Objective. Cardiovascular disorders in diabetes
condition arise from increased oxidative stress. Both
regular mild exercise and testosterone influence on body’s
antioxidant system in diabetes. In this study, we evaluated
treatment of testosterone and voluntary exercise, alone or
together on oxidative stress in the heart and blood of diabetic
rats.
Methods. Type 1 diabetes was induced by
intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg of streptozotocin in
rats. Sixty three rats have been divided into eight groups as
follows: Diabetes, diabetes+ testosterone, diabetes+ exercise,
diabetes+ testosterone+ exercise, diabetes+ castration,
diabetes+ castration+ testosterone, Diabetes+ castration+
exercise, Diabetes+ castration+ exercise+ testosterone. Type
1 diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/
kg of streptozotocin in the male Wistar rats and after a week,
castration was performed. After 42 days of treatment with
testosterone (2 mg/kg/day) or voluntary exercise alone or
in combination, SOD, GPX and CAT activities and MDA
levels were measured in the blood and heart tissue samples
in the groups of study. In the end of study, SOD, GPX and
CAT activities and MDA levels were measured in blood and
heart tissue samples in the groups of study.
Results. SOD, GPX and CAT activities significantly
(p<0.05) increased in groups that treated either testosterone
or exercise and MDA level significantly (p<0.01) decreased
in the blood and heart tissue of diabetic and castrated diabetic
rats. Simultaneously, treatment with testosterone and exercise
had a synergistic effect on antioxidant enzymes level in
diabetic and diabetic castrated rats. In the castrated animals
with diabetes, SOD, GPX and CAT activities significantly
decreased (p<0.05) and MDA levels significantly increased
(p<0.05) in blood and heart tissue.
Conclusion. Voluntary exercise and testosterone
alone or together heightened body’s antioxidant system and
were able to reduce the MDA levels in blood and heart of
diabetic and castrated diabetic rats.