Acarbose mitigates age-dependent alterations in erythrocyte membrane transporters during aging in rats.

Acarbose, a well-studied and effective inhibitor of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, is a postprandial-acting anti-diabetic medicine. The erythrocyte membrane is an excellent model for studying many metabolic and physiological activities since it experiences a range of biochemical alterations during aging. It is unknown whether ACA has an age-dependent modulatory effect on erythrocyte membrane functions. As a result, the current study was conducted to explore the influence of ACA on age-dependent deteriorated functions of transporters/exchangers, disrupted levels of redox biomarkers such as protein carbonyl (PC), lipid hydroperoxides (LHs), total thiol (-SH), sialic acid (SA), and erythrocyte membrane osmotic fragility. In addition to a concurrent increase in Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) activity and levels of PC, LH, and osmotic fragility, we also detected a considerable decrease in membrane-bound activities of Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) and Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA), as well as levels of -SH and SA in old-aged rats. The aging-induced impairment of the activities of membrane-bound ATPases and the changed levels of redox biomarkers were shown to be effectively restored by ACA treatment.