Protective Effect of Aerobic Training and Royal Jelly on Oxidative Stress in Cardiomyocytes in Obese Rats

Background and purpose: Obesity leads to a variety of metabolic changes that may contribute to abnormalities in the structure and function of the heart. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of royal jelly and aerobic training on oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes in high-fat diet-induced obese rats. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 45 male rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=9): Normal Diet (ND), High-Fat Diet (HFD), High-Fat Diet +Training (HFDT), High-Fat Diet + Royal Jelly (HFDRJ), and High-Fat Diet +Training + Royal Jelly (HFDTRJ). The supplement groups received 100 mg of royal jelly (kg/body weight) diluted in distilled water orally during the intervention period. The aerobic exercise program included treadmill running with an intensity of 50-60% oxygen consumption (VO2max), 5 days/week for 8 weeks. Results: Significant increases were seen in Nrf2 and HO-1 gene expression levels in HFDT (P=0.049 and P=0.029, respectively), HFDRJ (P=0.000 and P=0.041, respectively), and HFDTRJ (P=0.000 and P=0.000, respectively). This increase was also observed in HFDTRJ group compared with HFDT group (P=0.039 and P=0.003, respectively) and HFDRJ group (P=0.038 and P=0.002, respectively). Also, significant decrease was observed in MDA values (P=0.001). Findings showed significant increase in SOD, GPX, and CAT in HFDT, HFDRJ and HFDTRJ groups compared with HFD group in HFDTRJ group compared with HFDT and HFDRJ groups (P=0.001). Conclusion: Combining RJ with aerobic training may possibly inhibit HFD-induced cardiomyocytes damage by up-regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and improving oxidative state.