A High Dose of Short-term Intraperitoneal D-galactose-induced Aging Process in Male Rats

Intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose (D-gal i.p.) can accelerate aging has been used to develop models of aging previously, long-term use of D-gal has been used to induce aging in mice. Researchers are trying to determine whether short-term administration of high doses of D-gal i.p. in rats is able to induce significant signs similar to natural aging, namely increased oxidative stress and myostatin.

Rats aged 6 months were induced D-gal i.p dose of 300 mg/mL/kg for 1 week. Biochemical analysis was performed for the estimation of systemic antioxidants and inflammation.

Short-term administration of D-gal i.p significantly increased systemic inflammation and myostatin level. In the treatment group, there is an increased superoxide dismutase activity although lower compared with NaCl 0.9% i.p.

D-galactose intraperitoneally indeed accelerates aging in animal models by inducing oxidative stress and other aging-related biochemical changes, even with short-term high-dose administrations in one week.