The effects of alpha-lipoic acid on bladder contractility, histopathological changes and oxidant / antioxidant system in rats with experimentally induced metabolic syndrome

Overactive bladder is a very common pathology in the society which has an important effect on quality of life. In the recent years it is shown that changes in the nutritional habits, metabolic syndrome and some other diseases could be the cause for bladder dysfunction and overactive bladder. In this study changes in the bladder functions and the preventive or decreasing effect of the antioxidant alpha lipoic acid (-LA) on bladder dysfunction is evaluated in an experimental MetS model.In this study 40 Wistar Albino type rats of 180- 200 gr. weight are used. They are divided into four equal groups (n=10). Group I is considered as the control and the other 3 groups were feeded with 60% fructose enriched diet for 6 weeks to achieve MetS. After achieving MetS saline (SF) and -LA was injected intraperitonealy for 6 weeks to the rats in the group II and III respectively. Group IV received -LA i.p for a duration of 12 weeks. At the end of the study all the rats were decapitated and their blood and tissue samples were collected. Their plasma triglyceride (TG), LDL, HDL, total cholesterol, glucose and insülin levels were measured. HOMA-IR and the ratio of total oxidant to total antioxidant level (TOS/TAS) were measured in order to detect insulin resistance and oxidative stress index respectively. Contraction percentages of the tissue samples were measured in the isolated in-vitro organ bath and the inflamation rate was detected with the mean number of the vessels histopathologically.It was detected that compared to the control, plasma glucose (165,62±23,63), TG (153,12±49,49), LDL (39,75±5,42) and HOMA-IR (11,18±3,28) levels were increased and HDL (29,60±6,63) level was decreased in the group II. There was no significant increase in TAS (0,23±0.09) level but TOS (30,06±9,68) and OSI (15,86±9,26) levels revealed a statistically significant increase compared to the control in the group II (p<0.05). According to histopathological evaluation the mean number of the vessels in Group II was significantly higher than in the control (p<0.05). The maximum percentage of the contractional and amplitudal response to Ach and KCL induction was decreased and the frequency was increased statistically significantly in Group II compared to control (p<0.05). Plasma glucose, TG, LDL and HOMA-IR levels were decreased and HDL level was increased in the groups with -LA admission (group III and IV) compared to Group II statistically significantly (respectively, p<0.05, p<0.01). By comparing group IV with group II it was detected that the decrease in plasma TOS (25,25±3,67) and OSI (9,87±5,76) levels revealed as statistically significant (p<0.05) but the increase in TAS (0,31±0,13) level was not of statistical significance (p<0.06). It was also detected that the maximum percentage of contractional and amplitudal response of Group IV has increased and the frequency has decreased statistically significantly compared with Group II (p<0.05).Bladder dysfunction due to metabolic syndrome and its therapy are recent study topics. In our study we have shown that exogenous -LA therapy decreases the bladder dysfunction due to metabolic syndrome and results in improvement of the contractions, frequency and oxidant antioxidant system in the experimental MetS model.Key Words: Metabolic Syndrome, Bladder, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Contractility