Abstract
Background: Protective effect of medicinal plants on the heart has been reported, but the effect of resistance training (RT) and Tribulus terrestris (TT) on the heart exposed to anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) abuse is still unknown. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of RT and TT on androgen receptor-1 (ar-1), Fas ligand (fasl) gene expression and lipid profiles in rats exposed to stanozolol (S). Methods: Thirty-five male rats were selected and divided into 7 groups as follows: (1) sham (normal saline/Sh), (2) stanozolol (S), (3) S+100 mg/kg TT (S+TT100), (4) S+ 50 mg/kg TT (S+TT50), (5) S+RT+TT, (6) S+RT+TT100, and (7) S+RT+TT50. Over a course of eight-week period, groups 3, 4, 6, and 7 received 50 and 100 mg/kg/d doses of TT peritoneally and groups 5-7 performed three sessions of increasing RT per week. Results: RT decreased plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, as well as ar-1 and fasl gene expression in S-exposed rats (P<0.05). TT50, TT100, SRTT100, and SRTT50 reduced ar-1 and fasl gene expressions (P<0.05). TT50 reduced triglyceride (TG), cholesterol and increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (P≤0.01), and TT100 decreased LDL-C levels (P<0.05). Additionally, SRTT100 reduced TG, cholesterol, and LDL-C levels and increased HDL-C level (P<0.05), and SRTT50 decreased cholesterol level and increased HDL-C level in S-exposed rats (P<0.05). Conclusion: RT and consumption of TT appear to have protective effects on the improvement of apoptosisdependent androgen receptor-1 and lipid profile in S-exposed rats.
Highlights
Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) include testosterone and a number of its derivatives that have beneficial effects on anabolism and are used to boost protein synthesis and muscle growth (1)
The results of Tukey’s post hoc test showed that TG levels in the Sh and S groups did not differ significantly (P = 0.35), but TG levels in the S+TT50 and S+resistance training (RT)+TT100 groups were significantly lower compared to the S group
TG levels in the S+RT+TT100 group were significantly lower compared to S+TT50, S+TT100, S+RT, and S+RT+TT50 groups (P < 0.05) (Table 2)
Summary
Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) include testosterone and a number of its derivatives that have beneficial effects on anabolism and are used to boost protein synthesis and muscle growth (1). It appears that an increase in ARs following AAS abuse leads to impairment in lipid profile by causing impairment in liver enzymes and lipogenic liver X receptors (4). Evidence suggests that increased inflammation of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) pathway and degradation of Fas receptor inhibitors such as cFlip can cause cell death (5,6) In this regard, the researchers showed that AAS abuse leads to an increase in AR expression and LDL level and a decrease in HDL-C level. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of RT and TT on androgen receptor-1 (ar-1), Fas ligand (fasl) gene expression and lipid profiles in rats exposed to stanozolol (S). Results: RT decreased plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, as well as ar-1 and fasl gene expression in S-exposed rats (P < 0.05).
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