Effect of aerobic exercise and curcumin on myocardial SIRT1 gene expression and plasma resistin concentration in diabetic rats

Previous studies have shown the positive effect of aerobic exercise and curcumin on various variables in diabetes. Combination of these interventions may have an additive effect on these variables. The present study investigates the independent and combined effect of aerobic exercise and curcumin supplementation on cardiac SIRT1 gene expression and plasma resistin concentration in diabetic rats.

Forty male rats were equally divided into healthy control, diabetic control, diabetic exercise, diabetic curcumin, and diabetic curcumin+exercise. Aerobic exercise (five sessions/week, each session 30 minutes at a speed of 22 meters/minute, slope: five percent) and supplementation (30 mg/kg body weight, three days/week) were performed for eight weeks. Rats were sacrificed 48 hours after receiving the last intervention.

Diabetes decreased the expression of cardiac SIRT1 gene (p=0.001) and increased plasma resistin concentration (p =0.001). Exercise increased the expression of SIRT1 gene (p= 0.044) and decreased the resistance of resistin (p = 0.001) in diabetic rats. Curcumin also increased SIRT1 gene expression (p=0.048) and decreased resistin concentration (p=0.001) in diabetic rats. Compared to exercise or supplementation, combination of exercise and supplementation had more significant effect on increasing the expression of SIRT1 gene and decreasing the plasma concentration of resistin (p < 0.05).

In diabetic rats, aerobic exercise combined with curcumin has more pronounced beneficial effects on myocardial SIRT1 gene expression and plasma resistin concentrations from each alone.
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