Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the combination effect of voluntary exercise and garlic on oxidative markers, cholesterol level and histological alterations in streptozotocin (STZ)- induced diabetes in rat heart. Methods: Thirty-five male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into five experimental groups (n=7): Control, Diabetes, Diabetes+Garlic, Diabetes+Exercise, Diabetes+Garlic+Exercise groups. Diabetes was induced by STZ (ip, 50 mg/kg) in animals. Animals received garlic homogenate (250 mg/kg) by oral gavage or subjected to voluntary exercise alone or together for 6 weeks. At the end of intervention blood and heart tissue samples were obtained and used for measurement of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), cholesterol, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and histological analysis. Results: Improved blood glucose, cholesterol, total antioxidant capacity, and MDA levels were established in both Diabetes+Garlic and Diabetes+Exercise groups. Additionally, staining with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) revealed that voluntary exercise and garlic alone and together reduced interstitial edema, leukocyte infiltration, and myonecrosis. Furthermore, simultaneous treatment of diabetic rats with garlic and exercise training had an additive effect on these parameters. Conclusion: The findings indicated that combination therapy with garlic and voluntary exercise may present more beneficial effects in heart histological remodeling in diabetic rats than the use of garlic or voluntary exercise alone and that these beneficial effects might be associated with enhancement in cholesterol, total antioxidant capacity, and MDA levels.
Highlights
This study aimed to evaluate the combination effect of voluntary exercise and garlic on oxidative markers, cholesterol level and histological alterations in streptozotocin (STZ)induced diabetes in rat heart
In the diabetic animals, combination therapy with garlic and exercise had a significant reduction in heart MDA compared to groups treated with garlic (P < 0.01) or exercise (P < 0.05) alone
Combination therapy of rats with garlic and exercise had a higher total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level (P < 0.05) in the serum of diabetic rats compared with Diabetes+Exercise group
Summary
This study aimed to evaluate the combination effect of voluntary exercise and garlic on oxidative markers, cholesterol level and histological alterations in streptozotocin (STZ)induced diabetes in rat heart. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.[1] The prevalence of vascular disease in diabetic patients is rised more than 3-fold and is the crucial cause of mortality and morbidity in diabetic patients.[2] It has been reported that prolonged hyperglycemia leads to generation of free radicals, oxidative stress, and inflammation.[3] These free radicals play in various physiological events including gene expression, signaling pathways and cellular defense against pathogens.[4] In pathological conditions, such as uncontrolled hyperglycemia, free radicals are assembled in order to the activation of several pathways.[5] Hyperglycemia stimulates protein kinase C (PKC) and poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) pathways; as well as it increases production of advanced glycation outcomes, polyol and hexosamine pathways These pathways are stimulated or increased in order to mitochondrial superoxide overproduction.[6] free radical overload and formation of oxidative stress lead to antioxidant defense system attenuation in tissues during diabetes.[7, 8] Diabetesinduced oxidative damage in different organs including the cardiovascular system, as manifested by increased MDA and decreased antioxidant enzymes activities.[9] Exercise training has been reported to reverse oxidative stress and provide alleviating effects on hyperglycemia
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