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The effect of low-level laser therapy on oxidative stress and functional fitness in aged rats subjected to swimming: an aerobic exercise

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine whether low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in conjunction with aerobic training interferes with oxidative stress, thereby influencing the performance of old rats participating in swimming. Thirty Wistar rats (Norvegicus albinus) (24 aged and six young) were tested. The older animals were randomly divided into aged-control, aged-exercise, aged-LLLT, aged-LLLT/exercise, and young-control. Aerobic capacity (VO2max0.75) was analyzed before and after the training period. The exercise groups were trained for 6 weeks, and the LLLT was applied at 808 nm and 4 J energy. The rats were euthanized, and muscle tissue was collected to analyze the index of lipid peroxidation thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities. VO2 0.75max values in the aged-LLLT/exercise group were significantly higher from those in the baseline older group (p <0.01) and the LLLT and exercise group (p <0.05). The results indicate that the activities of CAT, SOD, and GPx were higher and statistically significant (p <0.05) in the LLLT/exercise group than those in the LLLT and exercise groups. Young animals presented lesser and statistically significant activities of antioxidant enzymes compared to the aged group. The LLLT/exercise group and the LLLT and exercise group could also mitigate the concentration of TBARS (p > 0.05). Laser therapy in conjunction with aerobic training may reduce oxidative stress, as well as increase VO2 0.75max, indicating that an aerobic exercise such as swimming increases speed and improves performance in aged animals treated with LLLT.

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Acknowledgments

Professor Paulo de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho thanks the Brazilian Research Council-CNPq for the Research Productivity Scholarship (Process no.307665/2012-7).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), Rua Vergueiro 235, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Simone A. Guaraldo, Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior & Paulo de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho

  2. Postgraduate Program in Biophotonics Applied Health Sciences, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Andrey Jorge Serra, Eliane Martins Amadio, Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior & Paulo de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho

  3. Department of Cardiology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Ednei Luis Antônio, Flávio Silva, Leslie Andrews Portes & Paulo José Ferreira Tucci

Authors
  1. Simone A. Guaraldo
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  2. Andrey Jorge Serra
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  3. Eliane Martins Amadio
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  4. Ednei Luis Antônio
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  6. Leslie Andrews Portes
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  7. Paulo José Ferreira Tucci
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  8. Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior
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  9. Paulo de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho
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Correspondence to Paulo de Tarso Camillo de Carvalho.

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Conflict of interest

No competing financial interests exist. Professor Ernesto Cesar Pinto Leal-Junior receives research support from Multi Radiance Medical (Solon, OH-USA), a laser device manufacturer. Multi Radiance Medical had no role in the planning of this study, and the laser device used was not theirs. They had no influence on study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

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Guaraldo, S.A., Serra, A.J., Amadio, E.M. et al. The effect of low-level laser therapy on oxidative stress and functional fitness in aged rats subjected to swimming: an aerobic exercise. Lasers Med Sci 31, 833–840 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-016-1882-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-016-1882-2

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