Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Chitosan has the function of scavenging the free radicals.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of chitosan on the liver function of rats undergoing glycolysis energy supply following intermittent cycle swimming training.
METHODS: Sixty-four adult Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group, exercise group, medication group, medication and exercise group, 16 rats in each group. The exercise group and the medication and exercise group performed to glycolysis mainly intermittent cycle training, and after training for 12 days, eight rats were selected randomly in two groups to take the relatively large amount of swimming exercise (i.e., a quantitative load exercise); the rats in the control group and medication group did not underwent the intermittent cycle training, but the rats in the two groups also received the quantitative load exercise at the same time points, i.e. each group was divided into two subgroups of pre-quantitative load exercise group and post-quantitative load exercise group. Rats in the medication and exercise group were gavaged with chitosan at the concentration of 0.3 g/kg at 30 minutes before training; rats in the medication group were gavaged with chitosan at the concentration of 0.3 g/kg at the same time point; rats in the control group and the exercise group were gavaged with the same amount of normal saline.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The superoxide dismutase activity in each group after the quantitative load exercise was decreased significantly when compared with that before quantitative load exercise (P < 0.01), and the malondialdehyde level in each group was significantly increased (P < 0.01). And the superoxide dismutase activity in each group after the quantitative load exercise was significantly lower than that in the control group before quantitative load exercise (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group after quantitative load exercise, the superoxide dismutase activity in the exercise group and the medication and exercise group were increased significantly (P < 0.01), and the malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.01). Compared with the exercise group after quantitative load exercise, the superoxide dismutase activity in the medication group after quantitative load exercise was decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the malondialdehyde level was increased (P < 0.05); the superoxide dismutase activity inthe exercise group after the quantitative load exercise was increased (P < 0.05), and the malondialdehyde level was decreased (P < 0.05). It shows that chitosan combined with exercise and training can effectively improve the antioxidant ability and the metabolism of free radicals.