Effect of Aerobic Training and Berberine Chloride Supplementation on Oxidative Stress Indices in the Heart Tissue of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Oxidative stress plays a key role in the onset and development of diabetes complications. This study aimed to investigate the effect of aerobic training with berberine chloride on indices changes of oxidative stress in the heart tissue of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

In total, 32 male Wistar rats (276.09±17.03) were randomly divided into four groups of eight per group, including Diabetes (DM) (277.65±18.59), Diabetes-Berberine (BDM) (281.57±14.04), Diabetes-Aerobic Training (TDM) (262.38±12.14), and Diabetes-Aerobic Training-Berberine (TBDM) (282.78±17.05). Diabetes was induced by the injection of streptozotocin in male rats. The training groups performed a progressive aerobic running program (10-18 m/min, 10-40 min/day, and 5 days/week) on a motor-driven treadmill for six weeks. At the end of the sixth week, heart tissue specimens were collected and used for the determination of antioxidant enzymes (e.g., SOD, GPX, and CAT) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) level. The data were analyzed using independent t-test and ANOVA. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Ethics code: IR.PNU.REC.1397.033

The results showed that aerobic training, berberine, and exercise-berberine combination significantly increased SOD (P=0.001), GPX (P=0.000), and CAT (P=0.001) of the heart tissue in diabetic rats. Moreover, a significant increase was observed in these indices in the TBDM group, compared to the BDM and TDM groups (P<0.05). The MDA level in all experimental groups was significantly lower than that in the diabetic group (P=0.001).

Aerobic training combined with berberine chloride has remarkable interactive effects on the improvement of oxidative stress markers in the heart tissue of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.