Effect of l- carnitin and thermal stress on free radical and antioxidant levels in rats which were made to exhaustive swimming exercises in hypothermic and hyperthermic temperatures of water

This study was carried out to examine effect of L- Carnitin and thermal stress on free radical and antioxidant levels in rats which were made to exhaustive swimming exercises in hypothermic and hyperthermic temperatures of waterThe research was performed upon 48 Spraque Dawley male rats which are 3-4 months old and 180-200 g. in weightThe subjects were divided into 8 equal groups. Group 1: 18E (The ones that made exhaustive swimming exercises at the temperature of 18 °C) (n=6), Group 2: 28E (The ones that made exhaustive swimming exercises at the temperature of 28 °C) (n=6), Group 3: 38E (The ones that performed exhaustive swimming exercises at the temperature of 38 °C) (n=6), Group 4: 18KE (The ones that were given L-Carnitine and made exhaustive swimming exercises at the temperature of 18 °C) (n=6), Group 5: 28KE (The ones that are given L-Carnitine and made exhaustive swimming exercises at the temperature of 28 °C) (n=6), Group 6: 38KE (The ones that are given L-Carnitine and made exhaustive swimming exercises at the temperature of 38 °C) (n=6), Group 7: 28KS (The sedentary group which is given 28 °C carnitine) (n=6), Group 8: 28S (28 °C the sedentary group on which no research was made) (n=6). In the study, the L-Carnitine was given to the groups 1-1.5 hours before the exercises in the doses of 100 mg/kg by intraperitoneal (I.P.) wayThe exercise groups that received L-Carnitine was performed exhaustive swimming exercises at the temperature of 28°C for 5 days, and 5 min. in order to adopt and after that was performed exhaustive swimming exercises at the temperatures of 18°C, 28°C and 37°C until they get tired. 5-7 ml of blood was drawn from the rats just after the exercises. In the blood samples, the SOD, GR, POD and CAT were analysed with spectrophotometric method, and MDA was analysed with HPLC-FLD method. In the statistical analysis of the study, Anova, Duncan and t tests were usedAccording to the results of the study, the MDA level of the 18KE group was significantly higher than those of 28KE and 38KE groups (P<0.05). While the GR levels of 18E group was significantly higher than the 18KE group (p<0.05,), the POD levels were significantly low (P<0.05,). The POD levels of 28KE group was significantly higher than those of 28E group (P<0.05,), in addition, the SOD levels of 38KE group was significantly higher than those of 38E group (P<0.05). the SOD, POD, CAT levels of 28S group was significantly lower than those of 28KS (P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.05 in order) the serum SOD levels of 28E group increased significantly in respect to the SOD levels of 28S group (P<0.001The findings that were gathered at the end of the study show that, the oxidative stress increases under hypothermic circumstances and L-Carnitine didn?t prevent the free radical formation the under hypothermic conditions, in addition it increases the antioxidant activity under thermal stress. The L-Carnitine supply under thermal stress may show an antioxidant effect and be useful in sports activities.