The combined effect of aerobic exercise with Saffron extract on some indices of soleus muscle apoptosis regulatory factors of male rats following an aerobic exercise until exhaustion

Saffron has high levels of antioxidant compounds able are inhibite the apoptosis induce of exercise exhaustion. The present study aims to investigate the effect of the combined effect of aerobic exercise with Saffron extract on some indices of soleus muscle apoptosis regulatory factors of male rats following an aerobic exercise until exhaustion. 48 Wistar male rats were assigned into following four groups (N=10) :G1) placebo؛ without exercise :G2) supplement؛ without exercise+ Saffron extract, 100 mg/kg :G3) exercise؛ 8 weeks exercise: G4) combination؛ 8 weeks exercise + Saffron extract, 100 mg/kg. The end of experiment, half of the rats was killed immediately before exhaustive exercise and remaining rats were killed immediately after performing an acute bout of exhaustive exercise on the treadmill. Bax and Bcl2 genes expression were analyzed through the Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). The data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA, with the significance level of P < 0.05. The results showed that prior exhaustive bcl-2 gene expression and Bax/Bcl2 ratio of the G3 and G4 groups were significantly mor and lower than the other groups respectively (P < 0.05). As well as, in the all groups except G4, the bax and bcl-2 protein expression increased and decreased, respectively and bax/bcl-2 ratio increased following an exhausting exercise (P < 0.05). In general, combined of aerobic exercise with use of saffron extract prevented the increase of Bax gene expression and Bcl-2/Bax ratio following an exhausting exercise