Interaction of Exercise Training and Alcohol Treatment on Brain Antioxidant Defense System in Two Different Age Groups of Male Albino Rats

Background: The biochemical mechanisms by which exercise significantly benefits health and well being, including antioxidant enzymes status, are not well understood in alcohol treated aged rats. Aim: The present study was carried out to know the impact of exercise training on alcohol-induced oxidative damage and antioxidant status in the brain tissue of young and old albino rats. Methods: The age-matched wistar rats (3 months young, n=24; 18 months old, n=24) were randomly divided into four groups: normal control (NC), exercise trained (Ex), alcohol treatment (At), and exercise plus alcohol treatment (Ex + At). The oxidative stress parameters specifically catalase (CAT), glutathione s transferase (GST), xanthine oxidase, (XOD), uric acid, (UA), ascorbic acid (AA), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were estimated in the brain tissue. Findings: In alcohol treated rats CAT, AA levels are decreased and UA, XOD, GST, MDA contents were increased. These changes were found to be greater in the aged rats than that of the young rats. In exercise training rats, the levels of these parameters were increased than normal rats. Where as in both age group rats, exercise plus alcohol treatment upregulated these antioxidant enzymes status. This study showed that alcohol intoxication increased the lipid peroxidation and decreased the antioxidant status in the brain tissue of old aged rats. However, the levels of these antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant status were augmented with exercise training in both age groups of alcohol treated rats. Conclusion: The present study suggests that exercise can be considered as a therapeutic means of countering the effects of alcohol intoxication in aged rats and that it may provide a useful strategy for enhancing the brain antioxidant enzymes status in rats.