Allopurinol and valproic acid improve cardiac triglyceride and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity independent of circulating aldosterone in female rats with glucose intolerance

Abstract

Context: Studies have shown that cardiac triglyceride accumulation and impaired Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity are linked to diabetes- related cardiovascular disease, particularly in women.

Objectives: We hypothesised that allopurinol (ALL) and valproic acid (VPA) treatment would improve cardiac triglyceride and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity independent of circulating aldosterone in Combined Oral Contraceptive (COC)-induced dysglycemia

Materials and methods: Rats received COC (1.0 μg ethinylestradiol and 5.0 μg levonorgestrel; po) with or without ALL (1 mg; po) and VPA (20 mg; po) for 6 weeks.

Results: COC-treatment led to impaired glucose tolerance, accumulated abdominal fat, dyslipidemia, elevated plasma MDA, PAI-1 and aldosterone levels and also reduced plasma nitric oxide bioavailability and cardiac Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity. However, either ALL or VPA treatment ameliorated these alterations comparably independent of elevated aldosterone level

Discussion and conclusion: Our results suggest that either ALL or VPA would improve cardiac TG and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity comparably in COC-treated rats, regardless of circulating aldosterone level.

Keywords:

• Cardiac Na+-K+-ATPase
• cardiometabolic syndrome
• triglyceride
• hyperinsulinemia
• hypeuricaemia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).