ABSTRACT
To evaluate the effect of regular swimming exercise on plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha, interleukin [IL]-1beta and of IL-6 cytokines in healthy and diabetic rats. In this study, carried out from March 2008 to March 2009 in the Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz, Iran, 40 Wistar rats [250-300g] were randomly divided into 4 groups [n=10]: control-sedentary, control-exercised, diabetic-sedentary, and diabetic-exercised. Diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin [50mg/kg, intraperitoneally]. The exercise protocol consisted of swimming [one hour/day, and 5 days/week] for 8 weeks. The plasma cytokines were measured by using specific kits and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The findings of this study showed that the mean difference of IL-6 was significant among the groups, and that regular swimming increased the plasma levels of IL-6 to 9-times in healthy rats and to 23-times in diabetic ones [p=0.000, F [3.31]=54.79]. However, there were no significant differences in IL-1beta and TNF-alpha levels among the groups. According to findings of this study, regular exercise causes an increase in plasma levels of IL-6, and this enhancement is much higher in diabetics rather than healthy rats. Thus, by increasing direct absorption of blood glucose by skeletal muscle, IL-6 can have a beneficial role in continuing the activities of diabetic patients