Effects of different durations of high-intensity interval training or continuous training with/without metformin on lipid profile and malondialdehyde level in a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome
Volume 17, Issue 2, February 2026, Pages 111-118
Fatemeh Zolfaghari, Akbar Nouri Habashi, Safiyeh Aghazadeh
Abstract Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder. Exercise is one of the interventions that leads to PCOS improvement. This study aimed to investigate the potential of different durations of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or continuous training (CT) with/ without metformin (MET) in a rat model of PCOS. For this purpose, the rats were randomly placed in seven groups, including control, PCOS, PCOS + CT, PCOS + HIIT, PCOS + MET, PCOS + MET + CT, and PCOS + MET + HIIT. The PCOS was induced by a single intra-muscular injection of 2.00 mg kg-1 estradiol valerate. The concentration of lipid indices showed that serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein decreased, and high-density lipoprotein increased with 8 and 12 weeks of exercise training in PCOS + CT, PCOS + HIIT, PCOS + MET + CT, and PCOS + MET + HIIT groups compared to the PCOS group, but no significant difference was found between groups. Triglyceride level decreased in treated groups with 12 weeks of exercise compared to the PCOS group, and there was no significant difference between the treated groups. Finally, serum malondialdehyde level decreased in groups received exercise intervention alone or combined with MET compared to the PCOS group. These findings revealed that HIIT and CT with longer periods with/without MET can lead to improvement of lipid profile and malondialdehyde level of PCOS patients.
Thymoquinone attenuates paw incision-induced spontaneous and evoked pain through anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory mechanisms in rats
Volume 16, Issue 2, February 2025, Pages 89-96
Seyed Siavash Ghoreishi, Saeed Azizi, Esmaeal Tamaddonfard, Safiyeh Aghazadeh
Abstract Surgery commonly causes post-operative pain that should be alleviated to prevent complications. In addition to the use of synthetic drugs, there has been a widespread desire to use medicinal plants for surgical pain management. Thymoquinone (TQ), a constituent of Nigella sativa black seeds, exhibits a potent anti-oxidant property. Celecoxib (CLX), a potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is widely used in pain management. In the present study, the effects of TQ and CLX on pain caused by hind paw surgical incision were compared. Fifty-six rats were divided into four groups of 14 rats as intact, vehicle, TQ, and CLX groups. In each group, six rats were planned to record pain-related behaviors on days 1 - 10 and eight rats were designed for determination of serum biochemical alterations on days 1 (four rats) and 3 (four rats) after surgery. Oral administrations of TQ and CLX at a same dose of 10.00 mg kg-1 alleviated paw lifting number (spontaneous pain) and paw withdrawal threshold evoked by von Frey filaments on metal mesh floor, improved the decreased contents of serum total anti-oxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase, and restored the increased levels of serum malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. The results suggested that TQ by employing anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, might relieve the pain induced by hind paw plantar incision, being comparable with CLX.