The effect of aerobic exercise with pistachio skin extract on the expression of Bax, caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in heart tissue of fat-fed rats

Fatty diet increases apoptosis and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of 4-week aerobic exercise along with pistachio skin extract on the expression of Bax, caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in heart tissue of fat-fed rats.

This is an experimental study. 12-week-old female rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6; Positive control (healthy), negative control (obesity), exercise + obesity, extract + obesity, exercise and extract + obesity (interaction of exercise and extract). Training was done for 4 weeks with moderate intensity of 50-60% Vo2max. Pistachio skin extract was used at a dose of 60 mg per kilogram. qPCR method was used to check gene expression.

The results showed that the expression of bax and caspase 3 was higher in the obese group than in the healthy group (P=0.001). The extract groups, the exercise group and the exercise + extract group had more bax and caspase 3 expression compared to the obese group (P=0.001). The expression of Bcl-2 in the obese group and the exercise group was lower than the healthy group (P=0.001). Also, the expression of Bcl-2 was higher in the exercise + extract group than in the obese group (P=0.001). There was a significant difference between the exercise group and the exercise+extract group with the extract group.

High-fat diet increase bax and caspase 3 and decreased Bcl-2 in rats. However, exercise and consumption of green pistachio skin extract together decrease bax and caspase 3 and increased Bcl-2.