Effect of eight-week exercise and crocin on the apoptotic indices of male rats’ testicles subjected to the apoptosis by Doxorubicin

Studies showed that physical activity and saffron plant usage can positively affect the persons with testicle problems and subject to apoptosis. Crocins are rich in antioxidant compounds and increase sperm count and strength, motility and morphological ability of sperm. In this study, effect of eight-week exercise and crocin on the apoptotic indices of male rats’ testicles subjected to the apoptosis has been investigated by Doxorubicin.

  In this experimental study, 40 male rats were divided into control, scheme (doxorubicin), continuous exercise + doxorubicin, continuous exercise + doxorubicin + crocin, doxorubicin + crocin which were administered 50 mg/kg crocin for 8 weeks by gavage. All groups except the control group received doxorubicin (2.5 mg/kg of body weight), six times at the end of each week. From the end of the second week until the end of the seventh week, the control group received only normal saline the same amount of doxorubicin. Continuous exercise groups for 8 weeks, 5 sessions per week, respectively, 16, 24, 32, 40 minutes on treadmill running, Blood and tissue samples were collected 48 hours after the last exercise session and after 10-12 hours of nocturnal fasting, after anesthesia, and Bcl-2 and Bax levels were measured using Real-Time PCR testicular tissue. The results of statistical analysis were analyzed by one-way (ANOVA), at P ≤ 0.05.

Continuous exercise + crocin + doxorubicin had a significant effect on decreasing Bax and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and increasing Bcl-2, The experimental group with doxorubicin + exercise + crocin had the lowest mean difference (0.0008) and mean difference with the sham group with the highest mean difference (0.0061)
 (P ≤ 0.05).

The results of this study showed that continuous training and crocin-dependent injections reduce the free radicals and induce beneficial adaptation in the testicular tissue antioxidant system by reducing the toxicity induced by doxorubicin.