Effect of training with curcumin on liver Nrf2/HO-1 of rats exposed to cadmium

Background: Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, has been shown to induce oxidative stress, leading to severe liver injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise combined with curcumin consumption on the liver Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in mice exposed to cadmium. Methods: 40 male Wistar rats aged 8-10 weeks (n=8 in each group) were allocated into five groups: control (C), cadmium (Cd), cadmium+curcumin (Cd+Cu), cadmium+training (Cd+AT), and cadmium+curcumin+exercise (Cd+Cu+AT). The Cd groups received 5 mg/kg of cadmium daily via drinking water. The AT groups underwent running sessions for eight weeks, five times per week, with each session lasting 30-60 minutes at a speed of 15 m/min on a 15-degree incline. Additionally, the daily intake of curcumin was 160 µL/kg administered orally. Results: There was a significant increase in Nrf2 and HO-1 gene expression in Cd+Cu (p=0.038 and p=0.047, respectively), Cd+AT (p=0.035 and p=0.039, respectively) and Cd+Cu+AT (p=0.0001) compared to Cd. This increase was also observed in Cd+Cu+AT compared to Cd+Cu (p=0.038 and P=0.041, respectively) and Cd+AT (p=0.042 and P=0.049, respectively). Conclusion: Aerobic training combination with curcumin may possibly inhibit cadmium-induced liver damage through up-regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.