Antioxidant effects of pulsed electromagnetic field on an experimental model of diabetes

ABSTRACT ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS OF PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD ON AN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF DIABETES Hafiza GÖZEN Postgraduate Thesis, Department of Biophysics Thesis advisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Can Demirel June 2014 Protective effects of PEMF on an experimental model of diabetes were investigated via oxidative/nitrosative stress parameters. For this purpose, in accordance with the study protocol, the rats were randomly divided into 4 groups as control (C; n=8), sham (SPEMF; n=8), diabetes (D; n=8), and diabetes+PEMF (D+PEMF; n=8). PEMF was started after the diagnosis of diabetes and performed on the D+PEMF group for daily 60 minutes over the course of 4 weeks. Blood samples and liver tissues obtained were used to measure antioxidant parameters including total thiol-SH, glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant status (TAS), as well as oxidant parameters including nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and total oxidant status(TOS). Oxidative stress index (OSI) was obtained from TOS/TAS ratio. The increase in MPO, MDA, NO,and TOS levels and the decrease in SOD and TAS levels in the SPEMF and D groups were found statistically significant as compared to the C group (P<0.05). It was determined that MPO, MDA, SOD, NO and TAS levels in the D+PEMFgroup became closer to the levels in the C group. The increase in TOS level in the D+PEMF group was not significantly different from the other groups. It was observed that GSH level significantly decreased in the SPEMF, D, and D+PEMF groups as compared to the control group (P<0.05). No difference was determined between the groups in terms of Thiol-SH and CAT levels. Comparing the SPEMF and D groups in terms of OSI ratio, no significant difference was observed between these groups. Similar ratios were also observed when the C and D+PEMF groups were compared. We think that PEMF is effective in TAS, TOS, OSI, MDA, NO, MPO, SOD,and GSH parameters and plays a regulatory role in diabetes-related injury by decreasing oxidative stress and supporting increase in antioxidants. We expect that the present study would contribute to more comprehensive studies by introducing PEMF as a non-invasive therapeutic option for diabetes and complications. Key Words: antioxidants, diabetes, oxidative stress, free radicals, PEMF.