The Combined Effects of Regular Swimming Exercise and Garlic Extract on the some of the Mediator Growth Factors on the Cardiac Angiogenesis and Fibrosis in aged Rats

Introduction: Aging is a major risk factor for gradual structural and functional damage to the heart and is associated with different changes in angiogenesis and cardiac fibrosis. The present study was conducted to determine the combined effect of swimming exercise and garlic extract on some of the factors mediating angiogenesis and cardiac fibrosis in old rats. Materials and Methods: A total of 35 old Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control, a saline, an aerobic exercise, a garlic and an aerobic exercise plus garlic group. The rats were given an exercise regimen of swimming 60 minutes per day and three days per week for eight weeks. The aerobic exercise and the aerobic exercise plus garlic groups were treated with 2.5 g/kg of body weight garlic extract. The preand post-intervention levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Transforming Growth Factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) were measured in all the groups. The data obtained were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA at a significance level of P 0.05). Conclusion: Each of the non-medicinal interventions of either regular exercise, garlic supplementation or their combination is likely to reduce age-related changes in angiogenesis and cardiac fibrosis through the positive regulation of VEGF and the reduction of TGF-β1.