The effect of eight weeks high intensity interval training and crocin consumption on oxidative stress of liver tissue in male rats subjected to chronic doxorubicin injection

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an anthracycline antibiotic that is widely used as a chemotherapy agent. However, the benefit of this agent is limited due to its side effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of high intensity interval training and crocin consumption on oxidative stress in liver tissue of male rats under chronic induction of doxorubicin.

In the present experimental study, 40 Wistar male rats were placed in groups: Healthy control (saline), doxorubicin (control) (2 mg/kg in 7 doses), doxorubicin and crocin (2mg/kg), doxorubicin training, and doxorubicin, crocin and training. The training groups ran in 80-90% of maximum speed for 8 weeks, 5 days a week, with 2-minute intervals. The level of malondialdehyde, activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes in liver tissue was measured.

Doxorubicin significantly increased malondialdehyde levels and reduced the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the liver tissue in the groups receiving doxorubicin compared to the healthy control group (P<0.001). Use of all three interventions caused a significant decrease in malondialdehyde level (P<0.001) and a significant increase in superoxide dismutase and catalase activity as a result of exercise (both enzymes, P=0.001), crocin (P=0.002 and P=0.001) and combination of exercise and crocin (both enzymes, P=0.001) compared to the control group of doxorubicin. Also, the combined effect of exercise and crocin was better than the effect of each alone (P<0.001).

It seems that regular high intensity interval training, supplementation of crocin, or a combination of these two, can reduce the toxicity of doxorubicin by reducing oxidative stress.