Effect of 4-weeks Endurance Training and Berberine on Glycemic Index and Inflammation in Diabetic Rats

Exercise and herbal medicine Berberine are known as anti-inflammatory agents. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 4-weeks of endurance training and Berberine Chloride (BC) consumption on inflammatory factors and glycemic index in male wistar diabetic rats.

In an experimental trial, 36 male wistar rats divided into 6 groups of 6 rats including 1) control, 2) 15 mg/kg BC, 3) 30 mg/kg BC, 4) endurance training, 5) endurance training with 15 mg/kg BC and 6) endurance training with 30 mg/kg of BC. During 4 weeks, rats in groups 2, 3, 5, and 6 received BC by gavage at specified doses, and rats in groups 4- 6 also ran on the treadmill at speeds of 10-15 m/min for 10-30 minutes. For statistical analysis of data-independent sample T-test, two-way ANOVA were used (P-value= 0.05).

Training and BC significantly increased function of pancreatic beta cells and reduced FBS, TNF-α, and IL- 6 (P-value= 0.001); Training significantly increased VO2max and insulin; interaction of training and BC on an increase of VO2max and reduction of TNF-α were significant (P-value= 0.001) and 30 mg/kg BC reduced TNF-α and FBS much more than 15 mg/kg BC (P-value= 0.001).

It appears that Endurance training and BC can decrease glycemic index and inflammatory markers of diabetes and the effects of BC is dose-dependent, so that the 30 mg/kg BC is more effective rather than the 15 mg/kg BC.