The present study investigated the effects of resveratrol (RV), a polyphenol with potent antioxidant properties, on oxidative stress parameters in liver and kidney, as well as on serum biochemical parameters of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Animals were divided into six groups (n = 8): control/saline; control/RV 10 mg/kg; control/RV 20 mg/kg; diabetic/saline; diabetic/RV10 mg/kg; diabetic/RV 20 mg/kg. After 30 days of treatment with resveratrol the animals were sacrificed and the liver, kidney and serum were used for experimental determinations. Results showed that TBARS levels were significantly increased in the diabetic/saline group and the administration of resveratrol prevented this increase in the diabetic/RV10 and diabetic/RV20 groups (P < 0.05). The activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALA-D) and the levels of non protein thiols (NPSH) and vitamin C presented a significant decrease in the diabetic/saline group when compared with the control/saline group (P < 0.05). The treatment with resveratrol was able to prevent these decrease improving the antioxidant defense of the diabetic/RV10 and diabetic/RV20 groups (P < 0.05). In addition, the elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and γ-glutamiltransferase (γ-GT) activities as well as in levels of urea, creatinine, cholesterol and triglycerides observed in the diabetic/saline group were reverted to levels close to normal by the administration of resveratrol in the diabetic/RV10 and diabetic/RV20 groups (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that resveratrol could have a protector effect against hepatic and renal damage induced by oxidative stress in the diabetic state, which was evidenced by the capacity of this polyphenol to modulate the antioxidant defense and to decrease the lipid peroxidation in these tissues.

Exercise training was shown to prevent increased cholinesterase related to inflammatory processes in hypertensive rats, providing a new insight about protective exercise mechanisms to avoid hypertension-related inflammation.

The present study investigated the effects of a 6-week swimming training on blood pressure, nitric oxide (NO) levels and oxidative stress parameters such as protein and lipid oxidation, antioxidant enzyme activity and endogenous non-enzymatic antioxidant content in kidney and circulating fluids, as well as on serum biochemical parameters (cholesterol, triglycerides, urea and creatinine) from Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME)-induced hypertension treated rats. Animals were divided into four groups (n = 10): Control, Exercise, L-NAME and Exercise L-NAME. Results showed that exercise prevented a decrease in NO levels in hypertensive rats (P < 0·05). An increase in protein and lipid oxidation observed in the L-NAME-treated group was reverted by physical training in serum from the Exercise L-NAME group (P < 0·05). A decrease in the catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the L-NAME group was observed when compared with normotensive groups (P < 0·05). In kidney, exercise significantly augmented the CAT and SOD activities in the Exercise L-NAME group when compared with the L-NAME group (P < 0·05). There was a decrease in the non-protein thiols (NPSH) levels in the L-NAME-treated group when compared with the normotensive groups (P < 0·05). In the Exercise L-NAME group, there was an increase in NPSH levels when compared with the L-NAME group (P < 0·05). The elevation in serum cholesterol, triglycerides, urea and creatinine levels observed in the L-NAME group were reverted to levels close to normal by exercise in the Exercise L-NAME group (P < 0·05). Exercise training had hypotensive effect, reducing blood pressure in the Exercise L-NAME group (P < 0·05). These findings suggest that physical training could have a protector effect against oxidative damage and renal injury caused by hypertension.

This study investigated the effect of quercetin on nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (NTP-Dase), 50-nucleotidase, adenosine deaminase (ADA), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in synaptosomes from cerebral cortex of adult rats exposed to cadmium (Cd). Rats were exposed to Cd (2.5 mg/Kg) and quercetin (5, 25 or 50 mg/Kg) by gavage for 45 days. Rats were randomly divided into eight groups (n = 8-10): saline/ethanol, saline/Querc 5 mg/kg, saline/Querc 25 mg/kg, saline/Querc 50 mg/kg, Cd/ethanol, Cd/Querc 5 mg/kg, Cd/Querc 25 mg/kg, and Cd/Querc 50 mg/kg. Results demonstrated that AChE activity increased in the Cd/ethanol group when compared to saline/ethanol group. Treatment with quercetin prevented the increase in AChE activity when compared to Cd/ethanol group. Quercetin treatment prevented the cadmium-induced increase in NTPDase, 5-nucleotidase, and ADA activities in Cd/ethanol group when compared to saline/ethanol group. Our data showed that quercetin have a protector effect against Cd intoxication. This way, is a promising candidate among the flavonoids to be investigated as a therapeutic agent to attenuate neurological disorders associated with Cd intoxication.

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