Pioglitazone improves skeletal muscle functions in reserpine-induced fibromyalgia rat model, 2021, Hassan et al

Abstract

Background
Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep and memory disturbance. There is no definitive cure yet for FM-related health problems. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor’s (PPAR’s) activation is associated with insulin sensitisation and improved glucose metabolism. PPAR-γ was reported to alleviate FM allodynia. Limited data are discussing its effect on motor disorders.

Objective
To investigate the potential effect of PPAR-γ agonists (pioglitazone, as one member of thiazolidinediones (TZD)) on motor dysfunction in reserpine-induced FM in a rat model.

Materials and methods
Thirty-six male Wistar rats were divided into negative control (n = 9) and reserpine-induced FM (n = 27) groups. The latter was subdivided into three equal subgroups (n = 9), positive control (untreated FM model), pioglitazone-treated and GW9662-treated. We evaluated muscle functions and activity of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and serum levels of interleukin-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.

Results
Pioglitazone significantly relieved fatigue, improved muscle performance, reduced inflammatory cytokines and enhanced antioxidant’s activity, while GW9662, a known PPAR-γ antagonist, aggravated the FM manifestations in the rat model.

Conclusion
PPAR-γ agonists show a promising role against FM-associated motor dysfunctions.

Open access, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07853890.2021.1916069

 

Should they not spend the time finding out what Fibromyalgia is, instead of treating rats based on hypophezised disease mechanisms?

Just seems like a waste of time and money to me.

 

Animal models for fibromyalgia research, a review:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/24708593.2016.1273986

 

Mmm...

I think I prefer the dead parrot sketch.