Effects of combined therapy with resveratrol, continuous and interval exercises on apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammatory biomarkers in the liver of old rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Context: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disorder.

Objective: Effects of combined therapy with resveratrol, interval and continuous exercises on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in the liver of rats with NAFLD.

Methods: NAFLD rats were organised in patient, saline, resveratrol (RSV), continuous exercise, interval exercise, continuous exercise + RSV, and interval exercise + RSV groups.

Results: Resveratrol supplementation alone or in combination with interval and continuous training significantly decreased malondialdehyde and TNF-α level (p < .05), while the levels of catalase; superoxide dismutase and IL-10 were significantly increased (p < .05). Although RSV alone significantly decreased the percentage of apoptotic cells (17.12%), its combination with interval (10.74%), and continuous (14.85%) exercise training demonstrated higher anti-apoptotic activity (p < .05).

Conclusions: Although resveratrol alone has an antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties, combined therapy with interval, and continuous training can be more effective to mitigate these abnormalities in NAFLD patients.

Keywords:

• NAFLD
• resveratrol
• interval and continuous training
• oxidative stress
• apoptosis

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch, Iran. We would also like to appreciate the staffs of the exercise physiology centres of Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran.

Disclosure statement

All authors approved the final version of the manuscript and there is no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by grant received from Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch, Iran.