Effect of Eight Weeks of Resistance Training and Consumption of Tribulus Terrestris on Androgenic Receptor-1, Fas Ligand Gene Expression, and Lipid Profiles in Rats Exposed to Stanozolol

Abstract

Background: Protective effect of medicinal plants on the heart has been reported, but the effect of resistance training (RT) and Tribulus terrestris (TT) on the heart exposed to anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) abuse is still unknown. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of RT and TT on androgen receptor-1 (ar-1), Fas ligand (fasl) gene expression and lipid profiles in rats exposed to stanozolol (S). Methods: Thirty-five male rats were selected and divided into 7 groups as follows: (1) sham (normal saline/Sh), (2) stanozolol (S), (3) S+100 mg/kg TT (S+TT100), (4) S+ 50 mg/kg TT (S+TT50), (5) S+RT+TT, (6) S+RT+TT100, and (7) S+RT+TT50. Over a course of eight-week period, groups 3, 4, 6, and 7 received 50 and 100 mg/kg/d doses of TT peritoneally and groups 5-7 performed three sessions of increasing RT per week. Results: RT decreased plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, as well as ar-1 and fasl gene expression in S-exposed rats (P<0.05). TT50, TT100, SRTT100, and SRTT50 reduced ar-1 and fasl gene expressions (P<0.05). TT50 reduced triglyceride (TG), cholesterol and increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (P≤0.01), and TT100 decreased LDL-C levels (P<0.05). Additionally, SRTT100 reduced TG, cholesterol, and LDL-C levels and increased HDL-C level (P<0.05), and SRTT50 decreased cholesterol level and increased HDL-C level in S-exposed rats (P<0.05). Conclusion: RT and consumption of TT appear to have protective effects on the improvement of apoptosisdependent androgen receptor-1 and lipid profile in S-exposed rats.

Keywords

• resistance training
• tribulus terrestris
• lipid profile
• androgen receptors
• stanozolol