Effects of Alpha Lipoic Acid Supplementation on Slow Skeletal Muscle Mass and Contractile Functions in Type 2 Diabetic Male Sprague Dawley Rats

Abstract

Objective: To see the Effects of Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) supplementation on slow skeletal muscle mass and
contractile functions in type 2 diabetic male Sprague Dawley rats.
Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Physiology Research Lab, Army Medical
College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan from June 2019 to April 2021 in collaboration with the National Institute of Health
(NIH) Islamabad, Pakistan.
Methods: Sixty adult SD rats were divided into three equal groups. Rats were fed on a standard diet as per NIH
protocols. After 2 weeks type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was induced in groups 2 and 3 by injecting low dose
35mg of streptozotocin (STZ) in the abdomen intraperitoneally. T2DM was successfully developed and
confirmed by measuring glucose levels through a glucometer. Group 3 was injected with Alpha Lipoic acid
30mg/kg/day at the lower abdomen for the next two weeks. After 04 weeks, soleus muscles were dissected.
The animal data acquisition unit (iWorx) was used for assessing the contractile functions of soleus.
Results: Alpha Lipoic acid group showed improvement in muscle mass, muscle tension strength, and recovery
from fatigue after applying fatigue protocol as compared to group 2.
Conclusion: Alpha Lipoic acid supplementation improves contractile force and delays fatigue in the soleus
muscles of diabetic rats.

How to cite this: Khan BU, Yousef I, Arshad S, Ikram F, Ali A, Ullah I. Effects of Alpha Lipoic Acid Supplementation on Slow Skeletal Muscle Mass and Contractile Functions in Type 2 Diabetic Male Sprague Dawley Rats. Life and Science. 2024; 5(2): 216-221. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.408