The Effect of Aerobic Training and Garlic Supplementation on Heart Tissue Structure in Obese Rats

Inroduction & Objective:

Lifestyle modification, including physical activity and the use of herbal supplements, is an important part of the health, prevention and treatment of obesity and it’s associated with reduction in cardiovascular complications caused by obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of aerobic training and garlic supplementation on heart tissue structure in obese rats.

To implementation of this experimental research, 25 male rats (5 healthy adult rats and 20 adults obese male Wistar rats) were randomly divided into five groups: control (healthy), obese, obese-garlic, obese-aerobic training and obese-garlic. Aerobic exercises were performed. Supplement groups received garlic supplementation at rate of 250 mg per kg body weight as daily gavage during the intervention period. Aerobic exercise was performed on treadmill, 5 days week for eight weeks. After anesthesia, an autopsy was performed and heart tissue was removed. The changes of heart tissue, Muscle cells, necrosis, inflammation and hyperemia were assessed, the severity and degree of these changes were performed based on microscopic and photomicrographs observations.

The results showed that in obese rat’s pathological changes of heart muscle and heart cells were observed in comparison with the control group. Aerobic training and consumption of garlic reduced pathological changes in heart muscle tissue and heart cells. Also, the interaction of aerobic training and garlic supplementation was associated with the improvement of tissue and cellular changes in heart tissue.

According to the results, aerobic training with garlic supplementation can probably help improve changes in the structure of heart tissue during obesity.