The effect of resistance training with the consumption of different doses of Tribulus Terrestris on the expression of TNF-α and IL-10 genes in the heart tissue of laboratory rats exposed to anabolic steroid (stanazol)

Nowadays, the use of energizing substances has become a complex problem in sports, on the other hand, resistance training and tribulus terrestris have a great effect on controlling inflammatory indicators, but the interaction of the effect of resistance training with tribulus terrestris and Stanazol on inflammatory capacities have been investigated less than the others. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of resistance training with the consumption of Tribulus terrestris extract on TNF-α, IL-10 and the TNF-α/IL-10 ratio of heart tissue of male rats exposed to Stanazol.

In this experimental study, 48 large male rats with a weight range of 150 to 200 grams and an average age of 8 weeks were selected and randomly divided into 8 groups of 6 series including 1) control (C), 2) sham (Sh), 3) use of stanazol (S), 4) use of stanazol with 100 mg/kg of Tribulus Terrestris (ST100), 5) use of Stanazol with 50 mg/kg of Tribulus Terrestris (ST50), 6) use of Stanazol with resistance training (SRT), 7) use of Stanazol with resistance training and 100 mg/kg of Tribulus Terrestris (SRTT100) and 8) use of Stanazol with training Resistance and 50 mg/kg of Tribulus Terrestris (SRTT50). For eight weeks, the 3-8 groups received 5 mg/kg daily of stanazole peritoneally; Groups 6-8 performed resistance training three sessions per week and groups 4, 5, 7 and 8 received certain doses of Tribulus Terrestris daily. The amount of TNF-α, IL-10 and the ratio of TNF-α/IL-10 were measured by Real Time PCR method in the hearts of rats. To analyze the findings, one-way analysis of variance was used with Tukey's post hoc test (p<0.05).

Consumption of S had a significant effect on the increase of TNF-α gene expression and the ratio of TNF-α/IL-10 and the decrease of IL-10 in the heart tissue of rats (P<0.05). However, SRT caused a significant increase of IL-10 and the reduction of TNF-α and the ratio of TNF-α/IL-10 (P<0.05) Also, SRT100 had a significant effect on increasing IL-10 and decreasing TNF-α/IL-10 ratio (P<0.05). SRTT100 and SRTT50 had a significant effect on the reduction of TNF-α and the ratio of TNF-α/IL-10 and the increase of IL-10 (P<0.05). On the other hand, the expression level of TNF-α gene in ST100 and ST50 groups increased significantly (P<0.05).

It seems that resistance training and consumption of tribulus terrestris extract with a higher dose separately have useful effects on the improvement of the gene expression of inflammatory indicators of heart tissue. However, in order to reach a better conclusion in connection with performing resistance exercises along with the consumption of Tribulus Terrestris, further research is needed on the expression of the gene of inflammatory indicators in the heart tissue caused by Stanazol poisoning.