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


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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Drug Applied Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
V
V
Ghorbanzadeh
Drug Applied Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
M
M
Mohammadi
Drug Applied Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
H
H
Dariushnejad
Drug Applied Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
L
L
Chodari
Neuroscience Research Centre of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, 5166614766, Tabriz, Iran. gmohades@yahoo.com.
G
G
Mohaddes
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D002338:Carotenoids; C029036:crocin; D005947:Glucose
Crocin; Diabetes type 2; HOMA-IR; VEGF-A; Voluntary exercise