Spirulina platensis enhances the beneficial effect of exercise on oxidative stress and the lipid profile in rats

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Spirulina platensis and moderate exercise on oxidative stress and lipid profiles in the rats. Forty male Wistar rats were allocated to the following 10-week treatments, three times a week: exercise (E, 30 min swimming), S. platensis (SP, 26 mg/Kg); exercise and Spirulina (ES); and control (C). Outcomes were Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) in serum and brain, and cholesterol and triglycerides (TG) in serum. Rats treated with exercise showed lower brain TBARS than the controls, mostly in association with S. platensis. In the groups E and ES, serum TBARS decreased after intervention. Compared with the controls, both E and ES prevented an increase in cholesterol and reduced triglycerides. Results demonstrated that S. platensis enhanced the beneficial effect of exercise on oxidative stress and lipid profiles in rats, which might be a promising approach for treating metabolic syndrome in humans.