ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to assess the effects of androgen receptor antagonists on the physical working capacity and activity of some of the key muscle enzymes for the energy supply in rats. Young adult male Wistar rats were divided into two groups. One group received 15 mg kg-1 of flutamide daily for 6 days a week and the other group served as control for 8 weeks. At the beginning and at the end of the experiment, all rats were subjected to submaximal running endurance (SRE), maximum time to exhaustion (MTE), and maximal sprinting speed (MSS) tests. At the end of the trial, maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) test was performed and the levels of testosterone, erythrocytes, hemoglobin as well as enzyme activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and NAD.H2-cytochrome-c reductase (NAD.H2) of the gastrocnemius muscle were measured. Serum testosterone of the flutamide-treated rats was higher than that of the controls, which verifies the effectiveness of the dose chosen. MTE and SRE of the anti-androgen-treated group were lower compared with the initial values. Flutamide treatment decreased the activity of SDH and NAD.H2 compared with the controls. We found no effect of the anti-androgen treatment on MSS, VO2max, running economy, LDH activity, and hematological variables. Our findings indicate that the maintenance of the submaximal and maximal running endurance as well as the activity of some of the key enzymes associated with muscle oxidative capacity is connected with androgen effects mediated by androgen receptors.
ABSTRACT
Background: S. surattense is widely used in Siddha medicine for various ailments. Objective: The aim was to evaluate the impact of alcoholic leaf‑extract of S. surattense on mitochondrial enzymes in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats and to study the in vitro muscle glucose uptake activity on L6 myotubes. Materials and Methods: The male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups of six animals each. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ (40 mg/kg body weight). After being confirmed the diabetic rats were treated with alcoholic leaf‑extract of S. surattense (100 mg/kg body weight) for 45 days. The biochemical estimations (liver mitochondrial enzymes, antioxidants, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS]) and histopathological studies were performed. Further, the in vitro muscle glucose uptake activity in L6 myotubes and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of glucose transporter‑4 (GLUT‑4) was performed. Results: In diabetic rats, the activities of liver mitochondrial enzymes were found to be significantly lowered. The mitochondrial TBARS level increased, whereas the activities/level of enzymatic and non‑enzymatic antioxidants decreased in diabetic rats. Administration of S. surattense to diabetic rats significantly reversed the above parameters toward normalcy. Furthermore in diabetic rats, the histopathological studies showed growth of adipose tissue and shrinkage of islets in the pancreas, liver showed fatty change with mild inflammation of portal triad, and kidney showed messangial capillary proliferation of glomeruli and fatty infiltration of tubules. Treatment with S. surattense brought back these changes to near normalcy. The extract was analyzed for in vitro muscle glucose uptake activity in L6 myotubes and mRNA expression of GLUT‑4 by semi‑quantitative reverse transcriptase‑polymerase chain reaction. One nano gram per millilitre of S. surattense leaf‑extract gave 115% glucose uptake on L6 myotubes. It also showed elevated levels of GLUT‑4 mRNA transcripts, when compared with control cells. Conclusion: These studies strongly support the anti‑diabetic nature of S. surattense.
ABSTRACT
Effect of carnitine supplementation in enhancing fat utilization was investigated by looking into its effects on mitochondrial respiratory enzymes activity in liver and muscle as well as on membrane fatty acid profile in rats fed with hydrogenated fat (HF) and MUFA-rich peanut oil (PO) with or without exercise. Male Wistar rats were fed HF-diet (4 groups, 8 rats in each group) or PO-diet (4 groups, 8 rats in each group), with or without carnitine for 24 weeks. One group for each diet acted as sedentary control while the other groups were allowed swimming for 1 hr a day, 6 days/week, for 24 weeks. The PO diet as well as exercise increased the activities of mitochondrial enzymes, NADH dehydrogenase, NADH oxidase, cytochrome C reductase, cytochrome oxidase, while carnitine supplementation further augmented the oxidative capacity of both liver and muscle significantly by enhancing the activity of carnitine palmitoyl transferase and the respiratory chain enzymes. These effects can be attributed to the enhanced unsaturated fatty acids in phospholipids of mitochondria and may be due to increased fluidity of the membrane in these rats. Results of this study show a significant health promoting effects of carnitine supplementation which could be further augmented by regular exercise.