Physical exercise and 5-hydroxytryptophan, a precursor for serotonin synthesis, reduce penicillin-induced epileptiform activity.

AIM: Previous studies have shown that 5- hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and exercise play an important role in the synthesis of serotonin independently. The effects of the treadmill exercise and 5- hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) on seizure mechanisms created by epileptiform activity with penicillin model were investigated in rats. METHOD: A total of 28 male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: exercise (Ex), Control (Cnt), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5htp) and 5-hydroxytryptophan + exercise (5htpEx) groups. Treadmill exercise and gavage (25 mg/kg/day) were administered five days a week for ten weeks. Electrocorticogram data were recorded for 3 h at the end of the protocol using the Power-Lab data acquisition system. Spike frequency, amplitude, and latency time were analyzed offline. The significant differences among the groups were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: Spike frequency was observed at the highest level from the 20th minute in the Cnt group, and this continued until the end of the recording. The 5-HTP alone group did not affect epileptiform activity. At the 80th minute of penicillin injection, the epileptiform activity in the 5htpEx group decreased significantly compared with the Cnt, and this significance continued until the 110th minute. There was no statistical difference in the amplitude values of the groups. The 5htpEx group was significantly higher than both the Cnt and Ex group in the seizure latency times. CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that exercise reduced the spike number and delayed seizure significantly by potentiating the effect of 5-HTP. Given that 5-HTP used in combination with exercise can perform useful actions such as reducing seizure sensitivity and consequently improving the quality of life for individuals with epilepsy, it may be a potential candidate for the treatment of epilepsy in nonpharmacological methods.

The effects of moderate running exercise and L-tyrosine on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in rats.

Regular exercise and amino acid supplementation, popular approaches toward the reduction of epileptic seizures, have been extensively researched. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of treadmill exercise and L-tyrosine treatment on the frequency and amplitude of epileptiform activity in rats. A total of 32 male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, exercise, L-tyrosine, and exercise + L-tyrosine. L­tyrosine was supplemented by oral gavage (500 mg/kg/day, 2.5 mL solution). The treatments were performed 5 days a week for 10 weeks. The rats were anesthetized and then administered 500 IU penicillin into the left cerebral cortex using a microinjector and electrocorticogram (ECoG) activity was recorded for 3 hours using a Power Lab data acquisition system. The frequency and the amplitude of the ECoG recordings were analyzed offline. Compared to the control group, spike frequency decreased significantly in all other groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of spike amplitude and latency. In this study, the effects of regularly administered treadmill exercise and L-tyrosine use on epileptiform activity were examined and evaluated together for the first time. The results of this study showed that regular exercise and L-tyrosine use decreased epileptiform activity. Further research and clinical trials are needed to investigate the extent to which L-tyrosine and physical activity interfere with the epileptic state by investigating different doses of L-tyrosine and different severity/ time/type of exercise protocols.

A new oxidative stress indicator: Effect of 5-hydroxytryptophan on thiol-disulfide homeostasis in exercise.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between exercise and both 5-hydroxytryptophan and oxidative stress using thiol-disulfide homeostasis via what is likely a novel biomarker. METHODS: Male albino Wistar rats (n = 32) were randomly divided into four groups as follows: control, exercise group, 5-hydroxytryptophan group (5H), and 5-HTP + exercise group (5Hex). Exercise and 5-HTP administration (25mg/kg per d) were performed 5d/wk for 10 wk. After completion of the experimental protocol, to determine oxidative stress parameters, serum total thiol and native thiol concentrations were measured. Dynamic disulfide status, reduced thiol, oxidized thiol (OT), and thiol oxidation reduction percentage ratios were compared between the groups. The methods used in the present study to measure dynamic thiol-disulfide homeostasis as calorimetric and duplex quantities were developed in 2014. These new methods are simple, reliable, and sensitive, with both high linearity and repeatability. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, serum dynamic disulfide levels were significantly lower in the 5H group and highest in the control group. The lowest OT and the highest reduced thiol rates were determined to be in the 5H group. The highest OT value was found in the 5Hex group. Thiol oxidation reduction values were found to be highest in the 5H group and lowest in the 5Hex group. CONCLUSIONS: Both 5-HTP and moderate exercise seem to be significantly effective in inhibiting oxidative damage. In addition, the new oxidative stress measurement method used in this study is a promising practical and useful method to evaluate and improve the performance of athletes.

A novel biomarker explaining the role of oxidative stress in exercise and l-tyrosine supplementation: thiol/disulphide homeostasis.

The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between exercise and both l-tyrosine and oxidative stress using thiol/disulphide homeostasis via a novel biomarker in rats. Following the completion of the exercise and l-tyrosine protocol, serum total thiol, native thiol, and disulphide concentrations were determined using a novel automated measurement method. Compared with the control group, serum dynamic disulphide levels were significantly lower in the E group (116.75 ± 10.49; p < .05) and the highest in the LT group (151.0 ± 5.84). The lowest oxidised thiol (49.75 ± 6.18; p = .087) and the highest reduced thiol (75.38 ± 3.16; p = .079) rates were determined to be in the E group. The highest oxidised thiol value was observed in the LT group. Exercise positively affects thiol/disulphide homeostasis, which is a novel indicator of oxidant-antioxidant parameters. Additionally, l-tyrosine appears to be more convenient combined with exercise. The new method used in our study proposes a promising, practical, and useful method for assessing the oxidative stress parameters.