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Effects of crocin and voluntary exercise, alone or combined, on heart VEGF-A and HOMA-IR of HFD/STZ induced type 2 diabetic rats

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Abstract

Background

Hyperglycemia is the main risk factor for microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes. Crocin and voluntary exercise have anti-hyperglycemic effects in diabetes. In this research, we evaluated the effects of crocin and voluntary exercise alone or combined on glycemia control and heart level of VEGF-A.

Materials and methods

Animals were divided into eight groups as: control (con), diabetes (Dia), crocin (Cro), voluntary exercise (Exe), crocin and voluntary exercise (Cro-Exe), diabetic–crocin (Dia-Cro), diabetic–voluntary exercise (Dia-Exe), diabetic–crocin–voluntary exercise (Dia-Cro-Exe). Type 2 diabetes was induced by a high-fat diet (4 weeks) and injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (i.p, 35 mg/kg). Animals received oral administration of crocin (50 mg/kg) or performed voluntary exercise alone or together for 8 weeks. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed on overnight fasted control, diabetic and treated rats after 8 weeks of treatment. Then, serum insulin and heart VEGF-A protein levels were measured.

Results

Crocin combined with voluntary exercise significantly decreased blood glucose levels (p < 0.001) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p < 0.001) compared to diabetic group. VEGF-A level was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in Dia group compared to control group. The combination of crocin and voluntary exercise significantly enhanced VEGF-A protein levels in Dia-Cro-Exe and Cro-Exe group compared to diabetic and control groups, respectively; p < 0.001 and p < 0.05.

Discussion

Crocin combined with voluntary exercise improved insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and reduced glucose levels in diabetic rats. Since both crocin and voluntary exercise can increase VEGF-A protein expression in heart tissue, they probably are able to increase angiogenesis in diabetic animals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Drug Applied Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    V. Ghorbanzadeh, M. Mohammadi, H. Dariushnejad & L. Chodari

  2. Neuroscience Research Centre of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, 5166614766, Tabriz, Iran

    G. Mohaddes

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  1. V. Ghorbanzadeh
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Correspondence to G. Mohaddes.

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This study was supported by Applied Drug Research Center, Tabriz University of medical Science, Tabriz, Iran. The authors have reported no conflicts of interest.

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All of the procedures were carried out under the ethical guidelines of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences and the study received approval from the Ethics Committee of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, according to the guide for the care and use of laboratory animals.

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Ghorbanzadeh, V., Mohammadi, M., Dariushnejad, H. et al. Effects of crocin and voluntary exercise, alone or combined, on heart VEGF-A and HOMA-IR of HFD/STZ induced type 2 diabetic rats. J Endocrinol Invest 39, 1179–1186 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-016-0456-2

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