Background and Aims: The present study aimed to compare the effects of three therapeutic methods (including herbal, atorvastatin, and exercise) on liver enzymes and lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic rats.
Materials and Methods: A number of 32 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n=8), including hypercholesterolemia (Hc) control group, anvil extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg, (Ext), exercise (E), and atorvastatin (AT) at a dose 10 mg/kg. Endurance training, anvil extract, and atorvastatin were performed three sessions per week for 8 weeks. Thereafter, liver biochemical tests, including alkaline phosphatase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lipid profiles were performed using a biochemical autoanalyzer (Ra-2000 made in USA) and the kits provided by Pars Azmun company. The data were analyzed in SPSS software using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test were used for data analysis.
Results: The results of statistical analysis indicated that all variables (e.g., Alanine transaminase, Triglyceride, High-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), except for ALT, AST, and cholesterol, were significant in all groups. The results of the statistical analysis demonstrated that triglycerides and VLDL significantly reduced in the atorvastatin and exercise groups, compared to the hypercholesterolemic control group. Furthermore, HDL had a significant increase in the exercise group, compared to the atorvastatin, extract, and control groups. In addition, LDL significantly decreased in the exercise group, compared to the atorvastatin group.
Conclusion: The results of the current study pointed to the similar effects of medication and exercise on the improvement of some lipid profiles. Nonetheless, exercise is advantageous over the use of medicine and herbal extracts due to the positive effects of exercise on the reduction of blood lipids and the absence of any side effects.