Effects of curcumin on antioxidant capacity and gastric mucosal injury following strenuous endurance training in rats

Abstract

Strenuous endurance training (SET) in endurance athletes can cause gastrointestinal problems, such as gastritis. Gastritis is associated with increased oxidative stress and an imbalance between free-radical production and antioxidant defences. The present study investigated the effects of SET and curcumin injection on systemic total antioxidant capacity (TAC), gastric mucosal injury and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde – MDA) in male rats. Twenty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups including Control, Curcumin, Endurance, and Endurance + curcumin. Incremental endurance training (up to 70 min with 35 m/min), and curcumin injection (30 mg/kg bodyweight, three times per week) was carried out in relevant groups. The pathology of gastritis was measured concerning the restoration factors (the number of neutrophils, the formation of new vessels, and proliferation of fibroblasts), gastric MDA levels and the TAC were measured. SET-induced gastritis symptoms, such as gastric mucosal injury and lipid peroxidation and curcumin decreased systemic TAC. However, curcumin reduced exercise-induced gastric mucosal injury and lipid peroxidation. Also, serum levels of TAC were maintained at normal levels following a combination of SET and curcumin injection. These findings suggest that curcumin injection during SET could be useful for managing gastritis symptoms and improving antioxidant capacity in healthy and eutrophic rats.