effect of aerobic training and melatonin consumption on tnf-α expression in the spinal cord tissue of male rats with type 1 diabetes

Background: neuroinflammation plays a central role in the onset and development of diabetic neuropathic pain. objectives: this study aims to thoroughly investigate the effects of aerobic training and melatonin on tnf-αexpression in rats suffering from diabetic neuropathic pain. methods: twenty-five male wistar rats, aged 8 weeks and weighing 204 ± 11.3 g, were randomly assigned to one of five groups: diabetic, melatonin-treated diabetic, exercise-trained diabetic, melatonin and exercise-trained diabetic, and control. diabetes was induced by injecting streptozotocin (stz) at a dose of 50 mg/kg. after verifying the development of diabetes through a pain perception test, the training group underwent six weeks of continuous aerobic training on a treadmill with an average intensity of 15 meters per minute for 30 minutes. the melatonin groups received a daily dose of 10 mg per kilogram of body weight for 6 weeks. tnf-αexpression levels were measured using real-time pcr. results: the combination of aerobic training and melatonin supplementation significantly decreased tnf-αexpression levels (p < 0.05). additionally, the levels of tnf-αexpression were found to be lower in the diabetic group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). conclusions: it appears that combining aerobic training with melatonin supplementation can regulate tnf-αexpression levels and enhance the sensitivity of nociceptors to nociceptive factors resulting from the gradual deterioration of sensory neurons caused by diabetes.