The effect of 8 weeks of aerobic interval exercise with silymarin supplementation on antioxidant, liver damage and atherogenic indicators in male Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of aerobic interval exercise with silymarin supplementation on antioxidant, liver damage and atherogenic indicators in male Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet.

This experimental study with laboratory method was performed on 35 male Wistar rats with a body weight of 160.45±7.08g and 3-weeks-of-age were randomly divided into 5 groups consisted of ordinary diet control (ODC), fatty diet control (FDC), fatty diet with supplement (FDS), fatty diet with exercise (FDE), fatty diet with supplement and exercise (FDSE). The exercises included the running on treadmill for 8 weeks, five times/week and 30 minutes in an exercise session. Silymarin supplementation with dose of 140 mg/kg/day of body, weight was received for two weeks. Liver tissue and samples were obtained after 48 hours of the last diet and data analyzed.

Significant decrease in FDSE and FDE groups compared with FDC group in ALT, AST, and ALP, MDA, TC and TG variables were observed. Whereas, there were significantly increased in FDSE group compared with FDC in SOD and HDL-C variables. Also, LDL-C and AIP in FDSE group compared with FDC had shown a significant decrease (p> .05).

The applying of aerobic interval exercise alone or with silymarin supplementation reduced the risk to NAFLD such as enzymes involved and atherogenic index in male Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet; therefore, it could probably improve the disease through increase the antioxidant capacity and reduce blood lipid profiles.