Swimming Exercise and Gallic Acid Modulate Cholinergic, Purinergic, and Oxidative-Stress Markers in Acarbose-Treated Diabetic Rats.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Diabetes mellitus (DM) alters brain redox homeostasis and neurotransmitter-related enzyme activities. This study investigated whether swimming exercise (SWEX), acarbose (ACA), and gallic acid (GA) modulate selected brain biochemical disturbances in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Sixty-four adult male Wistar rats were assigned to eight groups (n=8/group). Following streptozotocin-induced diabetes, intervention groups received SWEX, ACA (25 mg/kg) plus GA (25 or 50 mg/kg), or ACA and GA combined with SWEX for 14 days. Brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), adenosine deaminase (ADA), ATPDase, 5′-nucleotidase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were measured. Data were expressed as mean ± SEM and analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. On day 14, blood glucose was 338.2±14.1 mg/dL in untreated diabetic rats compared with 93.1±4.0 mg/dL in normal controls (p<0.0001). Rats receiving ACA+GA-50+SWEX had a blood glucose concentration of 121.8±6.2 mg/dL (p<0.0001 versus untreated diabetic rats). Untreated diabetes increased AChE, BChE, ADA, ATPDase, 5′-nucleotidase, and TBARS and decreased GPx relative to normal controls (p<0.0001). Compared with untreated diabetic rats, ACA+GA-50+SWEX significantly decreased AChE, BChE, ATPDase, 5′-nucleotidase, and TBARS and significantly increased GPx (p<0.0001); ADA was also significantly reduced (p<0.001). These changes align with modulation of glycemia, enzyme activities, antioxidants, and lipid peroxidation. In this short-term rat model, the study found that combined treatment led to favorable biochemical changes. Limitations include the male-only model, small sample size, 14-day duration, non-specific brain analysis, and lack of behavioral, histological, neuroinflammatory, or systemic assessments. In this short-term rat model, the combined intervention affected blood glucose levels and certain brain biochemical markers; however, further research is needed to understand their functional and therapeutic significance.