Therapeutic action of physical exercise on markers of oxidative stress induced by chronic kidney disease.

Aims: To investigate the effects physical training exerts on markers of oxidative stress in rats with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Main Methods: Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=6): sham, CKD, exercise-sham and exercise-CKD. Surgical reduction of the renal mass was performed (5/6 nephrectomized) and exercise was conducted on a treadmill (50 min/day up to 1 km/h for, 5 days/week for eight weeks). Forty-eight hours after the last exercise session, blood (1 mL) was collected from the abdominal aorta and animals were decapitated. The left kidney was surgically removed and stored at -70 °C for subsequent analysis.

Key Findings: An increase was observed in creatinine and urea levels, superoxide production, antioxidant enzymes, and oxidative damage in the CKD group, as compared to sham animals (p<0.05). Physical training made superoxide production and oxidative damage decrease in the CKD group (p<0.05), increasing SOD and GPX activity, though it did not increase the antioxidant effects of CAT, and renal parameters.

Significance: Even without altering renal function in animals induced to CKD model, the results show that physical training is an important component in the treatment of CKD, because it exerted a positive influence on oxidative stress parameters, especially on the reduction in superoxide production and oxidative damage, as well as an improvement in the antioxidant defense system, like SOD and GPX.