Anti-apoptotic Effects of Interval and Continued Training and Crocin on the Muscle Tissue of the Rats with Type II Diabetes Induced by a High-fat Diet

Introduction: Diabetes is a metabolic disease, which is directly correlated with increased physical disabilities and muscle tissue damage. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-apoptotic effects of interval and continued training and crocin on diabetic rats. Methods: In this study, 49 adult rats aged eight weeks with diabetes inducaed by a high-fat diet and venous injection of streptozotocin were randomly assigned to seven groups, including high-intensity interval training (HIIT), low-intensity continued training (LICT), HIIT with crocin consumption, LICT with crocin consumption, crocin consumption, sham, and control. The animals in the HIIT and LICT groups ran on a treadmill three sessions per week for eight weeks at the intensity of 80-85% and 50-55% of the maximum speed, respectively. The animals in the crocin consumption groups received 25 mg/kg of crocin weekly for eight weeks. Results: HIIT and LICT could significantly increase Bcl-2 and decrease Bax and p53, as well as the ratio of Bax and Bcl-2 (P≤0.05). In addition, crocin consumption could significantly increase Bcl-2 and decrease Bax (P≤0.05). Training with crocin consumption had interactive effects on the increase of Bcl-2 and decrease of p53 and ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 (P≤0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, continued and interval training along with the consumption of crocin exerted interactive anti-apoptotic effects on the rats with diabetes induced by a high- fat diet.