The effect of intermittent aerobic exercise and ginger extract on catalase, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde in the hippocampus of aged rats

Background and aims: Age-related metabolic changes and oxidative damage in the brain, particularly in the hippocampus, can contribute to cognitive decline and the onset of neurological disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic interval training and ginger extract on catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, in the hippocampus of aged rats. Methods: This semi-experimental study involved 20 Wistar rats with an average weight of 500 grams, randomly divided into four groups (n=5): control, ginger, training, and ginger, training+ginger group. The aerobic interval training protocol lasted for eight weeks, with three sessions per week. Ginger extract was administered at a dose of 100 mg/kg, dissolved in water and provided as the drinking water. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test were employed to analyze the data. Results: Tukey's post-hoc test revealed that the mean MDA levels in both the training group and the training+ginger group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p=0.005 and p=0.013, respectively). Additionally, the mean levels of catalase and SOD in the training+ginger group were significantly higher compared to the control group (p=0.016 and p=0.034, respectively). No significant differences were observed between the means of the other groups and the control group. Conclusion: The findings suggest that both aerobic exercise and its combination with ginger extract lead to a reduction in MDA levels. Although exercise and ginger consumption alone did not significantly affect MDA, SOD, or catalase levels, their combined effect resulted in an increase in antioxidant enzyme activity.