Volume 30, Issue 2 (June 2026)
Physiol Pharmacol 2026, 30(2): 185-198 |
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amiri S, Zolfaghardidani M, rahmati M, ghaffari G. Endurance exercise and Urtica Dioica extract
ameliorate TLR-4 levels and myocardial
inflammatory profile in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Physiol Pharmacol 2026; 30 (2) :185-198
URL: http://ppj.phypha.ir/article-1-2584-en.html
URL: http://ppj.phypha.ir/article-1-2584-en.html
Abstract: (708 Views)
Introduction: In diabetic patients, high blood sugar levels provoke sustained inflammation in cardiac tissue and impair normal cardiac activity. Considering the anti-diabetic characteristics of endurance training and Urtica Dioica (UD) extract, this study evaluated their potential in modulating TLR-4 levels and the inflammatory condition of cardiac tissue in diabetic Wistar rats.
Methods: In the present study, a total of 50 male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into 5 equal groups: Healthy-Control (H-C), Diabetic-Control (D-C), Diabetic-Exercise (D-Ex), Diabetic-Urtica Dioica (D-UD), and Diabetic-Exercise-Urtica Dioica (D-Ex-UD). Diabetes was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (45 mg/kg). Two weeks post-STZ injection, a moderate-intensity treadmill running regimen (five days/week) was performed, and UD extract (50 mg/kg) was given per day by gavage for 6 weeks.
Results: A six-week regimen of exercise and UD extract improves diabetes-induced weight loss. They also resulted in a significant decrease in blood glucose of the D-Ex (P = 0.001), D-UD (P = 0.001), and D-Ex-UD (P = 0.001) groups relative to D-C. Moreover, these interventions alone and in interaction resulted in a decrease in TLR-4 and TNF-α levels, as well as an increase in IL-10 levels in cardiac tissue. However, the D-Ex-UD group indicated the most excellent effectiveness in reducing TLR-4 levels and improving the cardiac inflammatory profile (IL-10/TNF-α ratio).
Conclusion: Endurance exercise and UD extract reduce myocardial inflammation by modulating the TLR-4 pathway and restoring the balance of inflammatory cytokines, such that the combined intervention, through simultaneous targeting of inflammatory pathways, exerts a stronger effect than either intervention alone.
Methods: In the present study, a total of 50 male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into 5 equal groups: Healthy-Control (H-C), Diabetic-Control (D-C), Diabetic-Exercise (D-Ex), Diabetic-Urtica Dioica (D-UD), and Diabetic-Exercise-Urtica Dioica (D-Ex-UD). Diabetes was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (45 mg/kg). Two weeks post-STZ injection, a moderate-intensity treadmill running regimen (five days/week) was performed, and UD extract (50 mg/kg) was given per day by gavage for 6 weeks.
Results: A six-week regimen of exercise and UD extract improves diabetes-induced weight loss. They also resulted in a significant decrease in blood glucose of the D-Ex (P = 0.001), D-UD (P = 0.001), and D-Ex-UD (P = 0.001) groups relative to D-C. Moreover, these interventions alone and in interaction resulted in a decrease in TLR-4 and TNF-α levels, as well as an increase in IL-10 levels in cardiac tissue. However, the D-Ex-UD group indicated the most excellent effectiveness in reducing TLR-4 levels and improving the cardiac inflammatory profile (IL-10/TNF-α ratio).
Conclusion: Endurance exercise and UD extract reduce myocardial inflammation by modulating the TLR-4 pathway and restoring the balance of inflammatory cytokines, such that the combined intervention, through simultaneous targeting of inflammatory pathways, exerts a stronger effect than either intervention alone.
Type of Manuscript: Experimental research article |
Subject:
Cardiovascular Physiology/Pharmacology
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