The comparison between effects of Berberis vulgaris Extract and aerobic exercise on none-alcoholic fatty liver in male rat

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Berberis vulgaris extract, aerobic exercise or their combination on the indicators of fatty liver, including serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum alanine aminotransferase (SGPT) in Wistar rats. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into 5 equal groups, including B. vulgaris extract, aerobic exercise, B. vulgaris extract combined with aerobic exercise, control and hyperlipidemic group. After blood sampling, CRP and SGPT levels were measured and the data were analyzed by ANOVA and least significance difference tests. SGPT enzyme activity in all experimental groups was reduced significantly compared with hyperlipidemic group (P<0.05). Also, the results of the CRP level in the group receiving the extract of B. vulgaris combined with aerobic exercise showed the lowest average and the largest difference with the hyperlipidemic group (P<0.05). Aerobic exercise combined with B. vulgaris extract could improve fatty liver and is beneficial in these patients

The theme of the world diabetes day 2014; healthy living and diabetes; a nephrology viewpoint.

Annually, on November 14, the world diabetes day (WDD) is celebrated. WDD is a campaign led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations throughout the world. It was created in 1991 by IDF and World Health Organization (WHO) in response to increasing concerns about the intensifying threat of diabetes worldwide. The WDD 2014 organization marks the first of a three-year (2014-16) emphasis on "healthy living and diabetes". Replacement of whole grain and cereal-based foods with refined grains in diet planning could be an operative and practical strategy in type II diabetic patients. This strategy beyond the development of glycemic control, leads to more benefits for management of other features of diabetes, diminution of diabetes-induced metabolic disorders, and prevents long-term complications especially diabetic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease

Preventive effects of garlic and lemon extract combined with aerobic exercise on blood metabolic parameters and liver enzymes

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise in combination with garlic and lemon on the lipid profile, metabolic parameters, and liver enzymes of obese male rats. Design: Sixty-four male Wistar rats were divided into eight equal groups consisting of 1) control following no treatment (n = 8); 2) hypercaloric fatty-food-based diet (n = 8); 3) aerobic exercise (AE, n = 8); 4) garlic intake (G, n = 8); 5) aerobic exercise with garlic intake (AEG, n = 8); 6) lemon intake (L, n = 8); 7) garlic and lemon (GL, n = 8); 8) garlic, lemon and aerobic exercise (GLAE, n = 8). After six weeks of intervention, blood samples were taken to obtain cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), and glucose. C-reactive protein (CRP), alanine aminotransferase (GPT), aspartate aminotransferase (GOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine (Cr), urea and uric acid (UA) were also measured. A one-way ANOVA or the Kruskal Wallis tests for the non-normally distributed variables, with post-hoc pairwise comparisons were conducted to assess differences between groups. Results: All the intervention groups obtained significantly better values compared to the hypercaloric group, although being also fed with a hypercaloric diet. In certain parameters, the intervention groups obtained equal or even better results than the control healthy group. The combination of aerobic exercise with the intake of garlic and lemon showed slightly non-significant better results. Conclusion: Aerobic exercise combined with the intake of garlic and lemon juice may influence the lipid profile, liver enzymes, and other blood parameters associated with cardiovascular disease.The authors gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the Shahrekord Medicinal Plants Research Center, which supported and funded this project

Effects of black Berberis vulgaris L combined with aerobic and resistance exercise on blood metabolic parameters and liver enzymes in obese rats

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a six-week intake of Berberis vulgaris L in combination with resistance and aerobic exercise on the lipid profile, metabolic parameters, and liver enzymes of obese male rats. Methods: 56 male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups: 1) healthy control (n = 8); 2) hypercaloric fatty-food-based diet (n = 8); 3) aerobic exercise (AE, n = 8); 4) resistance exercise (RE, n = 8); 5) black Berberis vulgaris L extract intake (n = 8); 6) Berberis intake combined with aerobic exercise (BAE, n = 8); and 7) Berberis intake combined with resistance exercise (BRE, n = 8). All the rats (except the controls) were induced fatty liver by six weeks of a hypercaloric diet before the intervention. After six weeks of intervention, blood samples were taken to obtain cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), glucose of c-reactive protein (CRP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and urea. Differences between groups were evaluated using the Kruskal Wallis test with post-hoc pairwise comparisons. Results: All the intervention groups significantly (p < .05) improved the parameters compared to the hypercaloric group in almost all the assessed parameters, reaching in many cases significantly better values than the healthy group (control). Similar results were obtained between the experimental groups; however, the outcomes were slightly better (non-significant differences) for the combination of the Berberis extract and both exercise methodologies. Conclusion: The use of herbal medicines such as Berberis vulgaris L in combination with aerobic or resistance exercises may be useful in the prevention of cardiovascular disease by improving risk factors such as blood lipid levels.The authors gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the Shahrekord Medicinal Plants Research Center, which supported and funded this project

Effects of six weeks intake berberis vulgaris L, cornus mas, garlic and lemon in combination with aerobic or resistance exercise on the fat metabolism and fatty liver enzymes of rats fed a high cholesterol diet

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic problem which is among the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 30% of mortality. Previous investigations have demonstrated that mortality from CVD is more than three times higher in obese people than in normal-weight people. Due to these facts, it is necessary to continue the efforts to control obesity and overweight. Medication, health education and diet are the most common ways to manage and control obesity. As well as the implementation of a specific nutritional style along with the practice of physical exercise, are the most traditionally used methods to treat obesity. Physical exercise, represent an effective strategy to prevent and/or treat obesity and cardiovascular disease. The use of Wistar rats is common for the development of extremely rigorous studies in a laboratory environment. Fundamental implications are transferred to human beings derived from the findings obtained with them. This is why they are usually used for numerous types of studies with different purposes: biomedical, toxicological, nutritional, physical exercise, etc. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of some herbal extract such as Berberis vulgaris L, cornus mas, Garlic and Lemon in combination with aerobic and/or resistance exercise on the lipid profile, metabolic parameters, and liver enzymes of obese male rats. Taking into account this aim, 6 weeks clinical assay based on a sample composed of 169 male Wistar rats and divided into three studies and 22 groups was carried out. In the first study, the rats received an extract of Berberis vulgaris L in combination with aerobic and resistance exercise, which the animals divided into seven groups: 1) Healthy control (n = 8); 2) hyper-caloric fatty-food-based diet (n = 8); 3) aerobic exercise (AE, n = 8); 4) resistance exercise (RE, n = 8); 5) black berberis vulgaris L extract intake (n = 8); 6) berberis intake combined with aerobic exercise (BAE, n = 8); and 7) berberis intake combined with resistance exercise (BRE, n = 8). In the second study, the rats received an extract of cornus mas in combination with aerobic and resistance exercise, which the animals divided into seven groups: 1) Healthy control (n = 7); 2) hyper-caloric fatty-food-based diet (n = 7); 3) aerobic exercise (AE, n = 7); 4) resistance exercise (RE, n = 7); 5) cornus mas extract intake (C, n = 7); 6) cornus mas combined with aerobic exercise (CAE, n = 7); and 7) cornus mas combined with resistance exercise (CRE, n = 7). In the third study, the rats received lemon and garlic in combination with aerobic exercise, which the animals divided into eight groups: 1) control following no treatment (n = 8); 2) hyper-caloric fatty-food-based diet (n = 8); 3) aerobic exercise (AE, n = 8); 4) garlic intake (G, n = 8); 5) aerobic exercise with garlic intake (AEG, n = 8); 6) lemon intake (L, n = 8); 7) garlic and lemon (GL, n = 8); 8) garlic, lemon, and aerobic exercise (GLAE, n = 8). For the first and second studies, all the rats (except the controls) were induced fatty liver by six weeks of a hyper-caloric diet before the intervention. After six weeks of intervention, blood samples were taken to obtain cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), glucose of C - reactive protein (CRP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine (Cr), urea and uric acid (UA). First, the assumption of normality and homogeneity of the dependent variables was verified by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Levene tests, respectively. After that, a one-way ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis tests for the non-normally distributed variables, with post-hoc pair-wise comparisons, were conducted to assess differences between groups. For all the analyses carried out, a confidence level of 95% was accepted (significance of p ≤ 0.05). After analyzing the data and comparing the hyper group with all the experimental groups, in the study I: BAE group obtained the best results in the variables cholesterol (-57.4%), TG (-43.2%), LDL (-67.3%), AST (-77.2%), ALT (-44.5%), CRP (-30.8%). Also, in variables Glucose (-36%), HDL (+45%), Cr (-54.1%) and urea (-38.2%) the best results were obtained in the BRE group. In the study II: AEC group obtained the best results in the variables cholesterol (-43.4%), Glucose (-45%), TG (-48.1%), LDL (-64.7%), and the best results for HDL (+34.9%), AST (-60.5%), ALT (-47.5%), CRP (-33.2%) Cr (-60.4%) and urea (-29.8%) were obtained in REC group. In the study III: GLAR group obtained the best results in all variables cholesterol (-45%), Glucose (-44.3%), TG (-76.2%), HDL (+24%), AST (-46.3%), ALT (-44.7%), CRP (-29.5%) Cr (-51.3%) and urea (-28.3%) and U.A (-51.3) were obtained in the GLAR group. In conclusion, the present study shows that the use of natural herbal medicine such as Berberis vulgaris L, cornus mas, garlic, and lemon in combination with aerobic and/or resistance exercise is a suitable alternative may be helpful to influence the lipid profile, liver enzymes, and other blood parameters associated with cardiovascular disease

Effects of Cornus mas extract combined with aerobic and resistance exercise on blood metabolic parameters and liver enzymes of obese rats

Purpose: The purpose was to investigate the effects of six weeks of resistance or aerobic exercise combined with the intake of Cornus mas extract on the lipid profile, metabolic parameters, and liver enzymes of obese rats. Methods: 49 male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups: 1) healthy control (n = 7); 2) hypercaloric fatty-food-based diet (n = 7); 3) aerobic exercise (AE, n = 7); 4) resistance exercise (RE, n = 7); 5) Cornus mas extract intake (C, n = 7); 6) Cornus mas combined with aerobic exercise (CAE, n = 7); and 7) Cornus mas combined with resistance exercise (CRE, n = 7). All the rats (except the controls) were induced fatty liver by six weeks of a hypercaloric diet before the intervention. After the six-week intervention, blood samples were taken to obtain levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), cholesterol, glucose, c-reactive protein (CRP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine, and urea. A one-way ANOVA or the Kruskal Wallis tests for the non-normally distributed variables, with post-hoc pairwise comparisons, assessed differences between groups. Results: All the intervention groups significantly (p < .05) improved the parameters compared to the hypercaloric group in almost all the assessed parameters, reaching in many cases significantly better values than the healthy group (control). Adding the Cornus supplementation to the exercise resulted in slightly non-significant better values. Conclusion: Cornus mas extract and aerobic or resistance training may be helpful to treat fatty liver and also reduce the lipid profile levels.The authors gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the Shahrekord Medicinal Plants Research Center, which supported and funded this project

The theme of the world diabetes day 2014; healthy living and diabetes; a nephrology viewpoint

Annually, on November 14, the world diabetes day (WDD) is celebrated. WDD is a campaign led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations throughout the world. It was created in 1991 by IDF and World Health Organization (WHO) in response to increasing concerns about the intensifying threat of diabetes worldwide. The WDD 2014 organization marks the first of a three-year (2014-16) emphasis on "healthy living and diabetes". Replacement of whole grain and cereal-based foods with refined grains in diet planning could be an operative and practical strategy in type II diabetic patients. This strategy beyond the development of glycemic control, leads to more benefits for management of other features of diabetes, diminution of diabetes-induced metabolic disorders, and prevents long-term complications especially diabetic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease