Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide, exercise, and training on rat serum enzymes and tissues

Abstract

Pretreatment of rats with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 4.5 g/kg, before exercise or before fasting for 12 hr. increases 2 to 4 times the values of serum aldolase and glutamic oxalacetic and pyruvic trans-aminases. In exercising rats, serum values of lactic and malic de-hydrogenases and all their isoenzymes are also increased, and glyco-gen in liver and myocardium is more rapidly depleted resulting in greater hyperglycemia. The increase in serum enzymes and isoenzymes and the tissue changes induced by exercise are mitigated by exercise training only in animals not given DMSO. In trained rats exercised 12 hr, pretreatment with DMSO increases the incidence of fatty changes and glycogen depletion in the liver and causes a rise in serum enzyme levels proportional to that in unstrained rats exercised 12 hr. These findings indicate that DMSO counteracts some of the beneficial effects of training, so that caution should be used in permitting patients, even trained athletes, to engage in arduous exercise during treatment with DMSO.