The effect of arbutin and aerobic training on plasma leptin and adiponectin concentrations in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

[Display omitted] • Simultaneous effects of exercise rehabilitation, arbutin, and glibenclamide are a novelty. • Significant effect of arbutin and its interaction with aerobic training. • The use of aerobic training and arbutin as a way to improve diabetes. • The effect of glibenclamide consumption was more remarkable compared to arbutin. Leptin and adiponectin are cytokines produced excessively by adipocytes, which are related to metabolic disorders. This study aimed to compare the effect of aerobic training (AT) and arbutin on leptin and adiponectin in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Eighty male Wistar rats were divided into ten groups including: (1) healthy control, (2) diabetic control, (3) healthy + arbutin, (4) diabetic + arbutin, (5) healthy + AT, (6) healthy + arbutin + AT, (7) diabetic + arbutin + AT, (8) diabetic + glibenclamide, (9) diabetic + AT, and (10) diabetic + glibenclamide + AT. Diabetes was induced in rats through the injection of 90 mg/kg saline-diluted alloxan. The AT was performed by swimming fosix weeks (five days a week). Arbutin was injected at 50 mg/kg, and glibenclamide was gavaged at 0.5 mg/kg per meal. Improvements of leptin, glucose, adiponectin and leptin to adiponectin ratio were different (P ≤ 0.05). Despite the significant effect of arbutin and its interaction with AT, in all cases, the effect of glibenclamide consumption was greater compared to arbutin (P = 0.001). Interaction of AT with glibenclamide also increased this effect (P = 0.001). Rehabilitation exercise and arbutin may offer a solution for the treatment of diabetes. However, the effect of this treatment is less than compared to glibenclamide, which may be further improved through changing the dose of arbutin or AT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]