Comparison of the Effect of Phoenix Dactylifera Extract and Testosterone Enanthate with and without Resistance Training on the Expression of FOXO3α and Ctnnβ1 Genes and Apoptosis in Rat Gastrocnemius Muscle

Using testosterone by athletes (especially in resistance training) to improve recovery and muscle growth has become common. But considering the side effects, it seems necessary to find alternative methods.

Thirty male rats were divided into six groups (n=5): exercise training, phoenix dactylifera extract, testosterone, phoenix dactylifera extract + exercise training, and testosterone+ exercise training. The exercise training groups performed a resistance training program (five sessions per week, each session, starting with 50% of a maximum repetition and increasing the intensity of training to disability) for four weeks. Phoenix dactylifera extract (5 days a week at a dose of 100 mg per kg body weight) was fed to rats in the phoenix dactylifera groups for four weeks. Rats in the testosterone groups also received testosterone enanthate for four weeks (five days a week at a dose of two milligrams per kilogram of body weight). Forty-eight hours after the last intervention, the animals were sacrificed and the gastrocnemius muscle were removed to measurements of the FOXO3α and beta-catenin 1 (Ctnnβ1) gene expressions, as well as, the ratio of apoptotic cells.

Exercise decreased FOXO3α gene expression and the number of apoptotic cells in the gastrocnemius muscle (P=0.001). The combination of testosterone and phoenix dactylifera decreased the expression of FOXO3α (P=0.001) and Ctnnβ1 (P=0.004) genes as well as the number of apoptotic cells (P=0.001) in the gastrocnemius muscle. The rate of gastrocnemius muscle apoptotic cells in the interactive groups (exercise + testosterone and exercise + phoenix dactylifera) was lower than the independent groups (exercise, testosterone and phoenix dactylifera) (P=0.001).

The present study suggests the positive effect of phoenix dactylifera on the expression of FOXO3α and Ctnnβ1 genes, as well as, the amount of apoptotic cells in the gastrocnemius muscle. So, phoenix dactylifera may be considered as a natural alternative to testosterone.