Effects of high intensity interval training and curcumin on blood total antioxidant capacity and hepatic NRF2 and caspase-3 level in rats exposed to arsenic

Arsenic exposure could likely lead to hepatic apoptosis and metabolic disturbances and high intensity interval training (HIIT) as well as curcumin supplementation seems to improve this condition. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of HIIT and curcumin supplementation on hepatic nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and caspase-3 as well as blood total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glucose, triglyceride (TG), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) in rats exposed to arsenic.

During the experimental study, 48 male rats were randomized into six groups of arsenic-HIIT (HIIT), arsenic-curcumin (curcumin), arsenic-HIIT-curcumin (concomitant), arsenic, ethanol control, and normal control. Arsenic and curcumin (5 and 15 mg/bw/day respectively) were consumed by gavage method. HIIT performed six weeks, five d/w, 60 min/session, consisted of running bouts (four min) at 85-90% of vVo2max with two min active rest intervals. The data were measured using colorimetry and Wester blotting and were analyzed by one-way ANOVA at the p<0.05.

Hepatic caspase-3 as well as blood glucose and TG were significantly higher, and blood TAC and HDL levels were lower in arsenic group compared to normal control (p=0.001 under any circumstances). However, blood HDL, glucose and TAC in all three groups of HIIT, curcumin and concomitant as well as liver caspase-3 just in concomitant group had not significant difference as compared to control group (p>0.05). Additionally, hepatic NRF2 were elevated to levels even higher than control group in curcumin and concomitantc groups (p=0.001).

Although the up-regulated blood TG-induced by arsenic could not restore with HIIT, curcumin or concomitant interventions, however, three interventions efficiently restore the elevated blood glucose and also the lowered HDL and TAC. Moreover, increased hepatic caspase-3 was only corrected with concomitant intervention, while only curcumin could restore the lowered levels of hepatic NRF2 induced by arsenic.