THE EFFECT OF SIX WEEKS OF AEROBIC EXERCISE TRAINING ALONE AND ALONG WITH CONSUMPTION OF GINGER EXTRACT ENCAPSULATED IN CHITOSAN NANOPARTICLES ON CHANGES IN HEART TISSUE MORPHOLOGY AND EXPRESSION LEVEL OF MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE (MAPK) GENE IN RATS WITH MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Exercise can also be effective in rehabilitating myocardial infarction by
strengthening myocardial muscle tissue. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise
alone, and along with the consumption of chitosan encapsulated ginger extract on the histopathological
characteristics of cardiac tissue and the level of MAPK expression in rats with myocardial infarction.
Materials & Methods: In this experimental study, 25 Wistar male rats were randomly divided into 5
groups (n = 5): myocardial infarction (Model), myocardial infarction + nanoparticle capsule extract +
exercise, myocardial infarction + nanoparticle encapsulated extract, myocardial infarction +
nanoparticle, myocardial infarction + exercise. Myocardial infarction was induced by subcutaneous
injection. The main training program was for six weeks; thus, in the first week, the speed started at 10
meters per minute, and the time was 10 minutes, and by the sixth week, the speed reached 15 meters per
minute, and the time reached 60 minutes. Ginger extract encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles was
gavaged at 500 mg/kg for six weeks. Finally, rats were anesthetized, and heart tissue was collected for
MAPK gene expression using Real-Time PCR and histopathological studies (hematoxylin and eosin
staining).
Results: The rat model of myocardial infarction in the groups trained and treated with the extract
encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles showed a significant decrease in MAPK gene expression
compared to the model group (p<0.05). The chitosan encapsulated ginger extract, either alone or with
continuous exercise, caused the heart tissue's cohesive muscle fibers to be placed next to each other or
significantly reduced the amount of bleeding and infiltration of inflammatory cells compared to the
model group (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Six weeks of aerobic exercise and consumption of encapsulated ginger extract in
nanoparticles can reduce isopropanol-induced heart tissue damage by improving cardiac homeostasis
and reducing MAPK.