The effect of 10 weeks aerobic exercise and consumption of safflower seed extract on PIK3R1 gene expression and kidney function after consumption of dexamethasone in male rats

The aim of present study is to evaluate the effects of ten weeks of aerobic exercise and consumption of safflower seed extract on PIK3R1gene expression and serum creatinine levels in male rats, after consuming Dexamethasone.

25 male Wistar rats (371± 32 gr) were randomly divided into five groups including; control, dexamethasone, dexamethasone + safflower (500 mg/kg of body weight), dexamethasone + aerobic exercise (60 minutes, speed of 28m/min, 5 days a week), dexamethasone + safflower + aerobic exercise. Kidney damage was induced by subcutaneous injection of Dexamethasone (8 gr /kg of body weight) for 6 days.

Findings didn’t show a significant effect in the expression of PIK3R1 gene in different groups. Despite the observed changes in renal histology, dexamethasone caused insignificant changes in urea and uric acid. The results of this study showed that 10 weeks of consumption of safflower extract caused a significant decrease in urea and an insignificant increase in uric acid in mice with kidney damage. Also, 10 weeks of aerobic exercise significantly reduced urea, while causing an insignificant reduction in uric acid in mice with kidney damage. Despite changes in urea and uric acid, aerobic exercise and safflower extract can improve kidney damage.

It seems that 10 weeks of aerobic exercise and consumption of safflower seed extract can be effective in improving kidney injury but the interveners in this study could not alter the expression of the PIK3R1 gene.