Effects of Resistance Training with Intake of Aqueous Garlic Extract on the Expression of Nrf2 and PPARγ in the Liver of Diabetic Rats

 Nrf2 transcription factor is the major regulator of antioxidant proteins and is expressed with PPARγ in all tissues of the body. Furthermore, garlic includes hypoglycemic effects by preventing the inactivation of insulin. The aim of this study was to explain effects of resistance training with garlic supplementation on Nrf2 and PPARγ gene expression in streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats.

In the present study, study method was experimental. To carry out the present laboratory study, 40 5-w-old male Wistar rats weighing 162.12 g ±15.24 were selected and randomly divided into five control groups of healthy, diabetes, diabetes-exercise, diabetes-garlic and diabetes-exercise-garlic groups. Rats became diabetics by injecting nicotinamide and intraperitoneally injecting STZ after 15 min. Rats in the supplement groups received 500 mg of garlic extract per kilogram of the body weight daily by oral gavage. Resistance training was carried out on a ladder with a slope of 80° and with weights equal to 30–100% of the body weight. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were used for inferential analysis of data.

In general, Nrf2 expression significantly increased in diabetes-exercise (p = 0.022), diabetes-garlic (p = 0.029) and diabetes-exercise-garlic (p = 0.001) groups, compared to diabetic group; and diabetes-exercise-garlic compared to diabetes-exercise (p = 0.048) and diabetes-garlic group (p = 0.038). Expression of PPARγ increased significantly in diabetes-exercise (p = 0.021), diabetes-garlic (p = 0.046) and diabetes-exercise-garlic (p = 0.006) groups, compared to diabetic group.

Possibly, consumption of garlic extract, resistance training and a combination of resistance training with garlic extract supplement improve the antioxidant status and decrease the oxidative stress of the liver through the upregulation of Nrf2 and PPARγ.