Simultaneous Effects of Aerobic Training and Berberine Chloride on Plasma Glucose, IL-6 and TNF-α in Type 1 Diabetic Male Wistar Rats

  Aerobic training and berberine chloride include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. In the current study, simultaneous effects of aerobic training and berberine chloride on plasma glucose, IL-6 and TNF-α were investigated in type 1 diabetic male Wistar rats. In this experimental study, 64 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into eight groups
(n=8), including healthy control, diabetic control, diabetic-berberine (15 and 30 mg/kg), diabetic-training, diabetic-training-berberine (15 and 30 mg/kg) and health-trained. Diabetes was induced using a single intraperitoneal injection (IP) of streptozotocin (STZ) of 60 mg/kg body weight (BW). The training schedule included running on a treadmill for six weeks, five sessions a week and daily intakes of berberine using gavage. The IL-6 and TNF-α values were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results showed that the glucose concentration in diabetic groups with aerobic training and intake of berberine simultaneously was significantly lower than that in the diabetic control group (P<0.05). Plasma IL-6 in the diabetic control group significantly increased, compared to that in the normal control group (P<0.05). In diabetic groups that received the two treatments simultaneously, IL-6 significantly increased, compared to that in the diabetic control group (P<0.05). The quantity of TNF-α in the diabetic control group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (P<0.05). The plasma level of TNF-α significantly decreased in all treatment groups, compared to that in the diabetic control group (P<0.05). Combined effects of berberine chloride use and aerobic training on blood glucose, IL-6 and TNF- α are more evident than their individual effects. Furthermore, a dose of 30 mg/kg of berberine chloride included a greater effect on the highlighted blood parameters, compared to that a dose of 15 mg/kg of berberine chloride did