Influence of Obestatin and Short-Term Treadmill Exercise on Plasma Acyl-Ghrelin and Body Weight in Wistar Rat

Background Related reviews reveal that the impact of obestatin (with or without exercise) on the level of ghrelin has not been investigated. The present study investigates the possible effect of intraperitoneally (IP)-administrated obestatin and short-term exercise on serum acyl-ghrelin and body weight in rats. Methods In present experimental study forty-five male rats weighing 100 ± 5 g were divided into five groups; Group 1: control group was normally reared, and did not receive any injections or exercise. Group 2 (placebo) was treated with basal solution (50 mL distilled water). Group 3 was referred to as obestatin group which was subjected to double-injection during the test with obestatin (10 μg obestatin/ rat). Group 4 was known as treadmill group which was subjected to treadmill exercise. Finally, group 5, known as obestatin /treadmill group (OT), was subjected to injection with obestatin and treadmill exercise. The exercise groups were trained for 3 weeks (run at 25 m/min for 60 minutes, 5 days/week).The data were analyzed with SPSS software version 16. Results Two main parameters include body weight gain and serum acyl-ghrelin was assayed. The results indicate that body weight and ghrelin level in obestatin and OT groups did not significant changes compared with the control group (P < 0.001). However, treadmill group had less ghrelin level was different significantly from control group (P < 0.0001). Also, the treadmill group had the least weight gain (P < 0.0001). Conclusions It was found that whereas short-term treadmill exercise significantly reduces serum acyl-ghrelin, IP-administration of obestatin had no significant impact on serum acyl-ghrelin and final body weight. The short-term treadmill exercise reduced weight gain rate. The results of the study indicated that the combination of obestatin injection and treadmill exercise had no significant impact on the measured variables.