Repeated Treadmill Running Attenuates Indomethacin‐caused Gastric Injury in Rats with Streptozotocin‐induced Diabetes

Abstract

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases leading to disability and death. Physical activity has a beneficial effect on all vital functions of the body under the norm as well as pathology including diabetes. Previously we have shown that treadmill running attenuates the vulnerability of gastric mucosa to ulcerogenic action of indomethacin (IM). The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of treadmill running on the vulnerability of the gastric mucosa to ulcerogenic action of IM in rats with streptozotocin‐induced diabetes. Diabetes was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 70 mg/kg, ip). Two regimens of treadmill running, repeated (Experiment 1) and single (Experiment 2), were used. There were four groups of rats in each experiment: two groups (running and sedentary) treated with STZ and two groups (running and sedentary) treated with vehicle of STZ (control). In Experiment 1 daily repeated treadmill running was initiated 7 days before STZ (or its vehicle) administration and continued daily 7 days after STZ administration. The intensity and duration of treadmill running gradually increased from 10 to 15 cm/s and from 10 to 20 min/day, respectively. In Experiment 2 only single treadmill session (15 cm/s, 15 min) was initiated 7 days after STZ (or its vehicle) administration. In both experiments, IM (35 mg/kg, sc) was administered immediately after completion of treadmill session in preliminary (24 h) fasted rats 7 days after STZ injection. Gastric erosion was examined 4 h after IM administration. Glucose level, body weight, water consumption and plasma corticosterone levels were also measured. Signs of diabetes (an increase of glucose level, loss of body weight, an increase of water consumption and elevation of plasma corticosterone levels) were developed 1 week after STZ administration. IM administration caused the gastric erosion 4 h after the injection. STZ‐induced diabetes aggravated ulcerogenic action of IM: the mean area of gastric erosion was significantly greater in rats with STZ injection compared to that in control animals. Repeated as well as single treadmill running did not significantly affect the signs of diabetes. However, repeated daily treadmill running resulted in a significant decrease of the area of gastric erosion in rats with STZ‐induced diabetes as well as control (non‐diabetic) rats compared to corresponding sedentary groups. A single running, before IM administration, reduced the area of gastric erosion in non‐diabetic rats, but it did not affect the gastric injury in rats with STZ‐induced diabetes. The data suggest that regular physical activity started before STZ‐induced diabetes can protect the gastric mucosa against the ulcerogenic action of IM.