The effect of 4 weeks aerobic swimming training and aqueous Urtica dioica extract on PGC-1α and UCP1 gene expression and serum concentrations of irisin and FGF21 in diabetic rats

Exercise training with Urtica dioica extract consumption increase the expression of genes involved in the conversion of white to brown adipose tissue, but their combined effect is not clear. This study designed to investigate the effect of Urtica dioica extract consumption and aerobic training on PGC-1α and UCP1gene expression and FGF21 and irisin serum concentrations in diabetic rats.

Seventy male Wistar rats (weight; 227.35 ± 18.52 g) were randomly divided to healthy control, diabetic control, Urtica dioica, metformin, training, Urtica dioica + training and metformin + training groups. The training groups swam for four weeks, 5 day per week from 15 minutes (in the first week) to 50 minutes (in the fourth week). Urtica dioica and metformin groups received 1.25 and 100 mg / kg of these two substances, respectively. Blood samples, muscles, pancreas and fat (visceral) were taken to evaluate the research variables. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post-hoc test with a significance level of 0.05 was used to analyze the data.

The concentration of Irisin in the treatment groups were significantly higher than the diabetic control group (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the serum FGF21 concentration. Significant increase in expression of PGC-1α and UCP1 genes was observed in all treatment groups compared to healthy control and diabetic control groups (P<0.05).

Concomitant consumption of Urtica dioica extract and swimming training reduces blood glucose and activates the expression of PGC-1α and UCP1 genes, which play a role in the browning of adipose tissue.