TAURINE SUPPLEMENTATION NORMALIZES SKELETAL MUSCLE FUNCTIONS IN TYPE 2 DIABETES RATS

Abstract

Objective: To study effect of supplementation of taurine on force frequency relationship and fatigue of rodent skeletal muscles in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Study Design: Laboratory-based experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Physiology at Army Medical College Rawalpindi, from Apr 2013 to Jun 2013.

Methodology: Ninety Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly in to 3 groups; control (group-1), beta-alanine (group-2), and taurine group (group-3). All rats were fed with taurine free-high fat diet and administered streptozocin to induce type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, group-1 was supplemented with 0.02% (w/v) taurine, group-2 with 3% (w/v) beta-alanine, and group-3 with 3% (w/v) taurine in their respective drinking water. At 21st day, plasma glucose and insulin resistance were measured to affirm type-II diabetes mellitus in all groups. At 28th day, contractile functions of extensor digitorum longus muscles at high frequencies were evaluated using i Worx data acquisition unit (AHK/214).

Results: The decline in maximum fused tetanic tension, maximum fused tetanic tension after fatigue protocol, and recovery from fatigue was significantly ameliorated in taurine supplemented diabetic rats.

Conclusion: Taurine supplementation significantly improved the contractile functions of diabetic rodent skeletal muscle at high frequency stimulation.