Abbas Ali Gaeini

Ziziphus jujuba, commonly known as jujube, is a medicinal fruit with a long ethnopharmacological history in Persian and Eastern traditional medicine. Increasing evidence has highlighted its diverse bioactive profile and potential physiological relevance in modulating fatigue, psychological stress, inflammation and metabolic recovery. This narrative review synthesized multidisciplinary findings on the phytochemical composition, ...

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely associated with insulin resistance and chronic low-grade inflammation. Exercise training and taurine supplementation have emerged as promising strategies to improve metabolic function by modulating insulin signaling and inflammatory pathways. This study investigated the effects of taurine supplementation and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), alone and in combination, on insulin signaling and inflammasome-related pathways in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mouse model of NAFLD. Methods: Fifty-six male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to either a control diet (CON, n = 8) or an HFD (n = 48). After 12 weeks, HFD-fed mice were randomized into six groups: HFD, HFD+HIIT (HE), HFD+2.5% taurine (HT-2.5), HFD+HIIT+2.5% taurine (HET-2.5), HFD+5% taurine (HT-5), and HFD+HIIT+5% taurine (HET-5) (n = 8/group). Interventions were performed concurrently for 10 weeks. Results: Compared with controls, HFD-fed mice exhibited increased HOMA-IR, impaired PI3K/AKT signaling, elevated PTEN expression, and increased hepatic TXNIP, NLRP3, and caspase-1 levels (all p < 0.05). All intervention groups improved HOMA-IR and reduced PTEN, TXNIP, and caspase-1 expression compared with the HFD group (p < 0.05). PI3K phosphorylation increased only in the HET-2.5 group, whereas AKT phosphorylation increased in the HE, HT-5, and HET-2.5 groups (p < 0.05). Notably, concurrent enhancement of both PI3K and AKT phosphorylation was observed exclusively in the HET-2.5 group. Conclusion: HIIT and taurine supplementation improved metabolic and inflammatory alterations associated with HFD-induced NAFLD. These findings support the potential of combined exercise and nutritional interventions as complementary strategies for mitigating metabolic dysfunction associated with NAFLD and warrant further clinical investigation.

This study investigated the effects of high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, ferroptosis, and iron deposition in rats with heart failure (HF). HF was induced by intraperitoneal injection of isoprenaline (130 mg/kg/day) for 4 days. Afterward, rats were divided into control healthy (Control), HF sedentary (HF‐Sed), and HF HIIT (HF‐HIT) groups. The HF‐HIT group underwent HIIT (5 intervals of 4 min at 85%–90% VO_2max, separated by 2 min at 50%–60% VO_2max) for 8 weeks. Biomarkers of ER stress, ferroptosis, and oxidative stress, along with cardiac function, were measured post‐intervention. HIIT reduced cardiac fibrosis and iron deposition while increasing cystine/glutamate transporter (SLC7A11), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and SOD levels. Additionally, protein levels of glucose‐regulated protein 78 (GRP78), protein kinase RNA‐activated‐like ER kinase (PERK), and activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) decreased after HIIT. These findings suggest that HIIT alleviates ferroptosis and ER stress via the PERK/ATF4/SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway, offering protective effects against HF.

While regular exercise training is known to decrease oxidative stress (OS) and enhance antioxidant functions in adults, limited data exist on OS responses in the pediatric population. This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-intensity functional training (HIFT) on oxidative stress and physical performance in adolescent soccer players. In this randomized controlled trial, 20 well-trained adolescent soccer players were divided into HIFT (n = 10) and moderate-intensity soccer technical training (MITT, n = 10) groups. Both groups trained for 8 weeks (3 days/week). Oxidative stress biomarkers (MDA, 8-OHDG, H2O2, GPx, CAT) and physical performance (VO2peak, vertical jump height [VJH], maximal explosive power [MEP]) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Repeated measure mixed ANOVA (2 × 2) with a significance level of P < 0.05 was used to determine differences between and within subjects. The main effect of interaction was significant for VO2peak, VJH and MEP (P < 0.05). The main effect of interaction was not significant for CAT, 8-OHDG, GPx, H2O2 and MDA (P > 0.05). Following intervention, VO2peak and VJH performance in the HIFT were significantly higher than MITT (P < 0.05). MDA and H2O2 in the HIFT decreased significantly (P < 0.05), but no significant changes were observed in the MITT (P > 0.05). CAT activity decreased significantly (P < 0.05), while GPx activity increased significantly (P < 0.05) in both groups. 8-OHDG did not show significant changes in both groups (P > 0.05). Eight weeks of HIFT did not cause greater OS compared to MITT, while could improve physical performance parameters. These findings suggest that HIFT is a viable and time-efficient training strategy for enhancing athletic performance in youth sports. Trial registration: The present study was a randomized controlled trial (registration number: IRCT20190530043762N1, 25/09/2019, Iran).

Introduction: High‐intensity interval training (HIIT) is a form of interval exercise that enhances capacity and benefits well‐being. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol prevalent in grapes and red wine, demonstrating significant health effects on the body. This study sought to evaluate the synergistic effects of swimming HIIT and resveratrol intake on the expression of SIRTs 4, SIRTs 5, and superoxide dismutases (SOD1 and SOD2) in the frontal lobe of elderly rats. Materials and Methods: Forty‐five male Wistar rats, aged 22 months, were categorized into five groups: the control group (CTL), the swimming HIIT group (Ex: Exercise), the swimming HIIT with resveratrol group (R + Ex), the resveratrol group (R), and the solvent control group (vehicle). The R + Ex group engaged in high‐intensity interval swimming and ingested resveratrol (10 mg/kg/day via gavage) for 6 weeks. During the initial and final sessions of each week, blood samples from the rats in the Ex and R + Ex groups were collected for lactate analysis. The proteins SIRTs 4 and 5, as well as SODs 1 and 2, were quantified using the western blot approach. Results: Integrating HIIT with resveratrol markedly enhanced the expression of SIRT4, SIRT5, and antioxidant enzymes in the frontal lobe of elderly rats. Conclusion: Resveratrol and HIIT, particularly their synergistic effects, provide antioxidant and antiaging benefits on the frontal lobe of aged rats.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is linked to progressive cognitive decline and motor impairments, especially among the aging population, highlighting the importance of early detection through reliable neuronal biomarkers. Proteins such as neurofilament light chain (NFL), neurogranin (Ng), and visinin‐like protein 1 (VILIP‐1) have emerged as indicators of neurodegeneration and associated behavioral changes. This study examined the effects of combined endurance and resistance exercise, along with ursolic acid (UA) supplementation, on hippocampal neuronal biomarkers and exploratory‐locomotor behavior in aged diabetic rats. Methods: In this experiment, 21‐month‐old male Wistar rats were assigned to seven groups. Diabetes was induced using a single intraperitoneal dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (30 mg/kg) in combination with a high‐fat diet (55% fat, 31% carbohydrate, and 14% protein). Interventions included endurance training (60%–75% vVO _2max ), resistance training (60% MVCC), and daily oral UA administration (250 mg/kg) over eight weeks. Neuronal biomarkers (NFL, Ng, and VILIP‐1) were measured in hippocampal tissue via western blot, and exploratory and locomotor behavior was assessed using the open‐field test. Results: The results showed that UA supplementation combined with resistance training significantly reduced the levels of neuronal biomarkers NFL ( p < 0.001), Ng ( p < 0.01), and VILIP‐1 ( p < 0.001) in diabetic rats compared to untreated diabetic controls. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that diabetes leads to a marked elevation in NFL, Ng, and VILIP‐1 protein levels, while a combined intervention of exercise and UA mitigated neurodegenerative changes and improved exploratory‐locomotor outcomes.

Background: Oxidative stress-induced tissue damage is a recognized concern linked to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) waves. Materials and Methods: In the present study, we explored the effect of moderate aerobic exercise (AE) on oxidative stress (OS) and cardiomyocyte damage resulting from cell phone EMR in rats. A total of 32 male Wistar rats ...

Objectives: In middle-aged women, the postmenopausal period is associated with increased oxidative, inflammatory, and psychological stress. We intend to investigate the effect of home-based aerobic exercise (HAE) on serum levels of 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-C) and the expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) in leukocytes of postmenopausal women. Methods: A total of 20 sedentary postmenopausal women who had at least 12 months passed since their last menstruation participated in the study voluntarily. Their Mean±SD age, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were respectively 52.4±3.8 years, 161.4±3.7 cm, 74.4±6.8 kg, and 28.6±3.4 kg/m2 . They were randomly divided into two groups: Home-based aerobic exercise (HAE, n=10) and inactive control (CON, n=10). HAE group undertook 4 weeks of home-based aerobic exercise (4 d/wk, intensity: 70%-80% maximal heart rate) with online supervision. Participants’ weight and fasting blood samples (12-h fasting state) were measured and taken before and 48 hours after the intervention. TERT expression in blood leukocytes and serum levels of 8-OHDG were assessed by real-time PCR and ELISA methods, respectively. The collected data were analyzed using mixed (2×2) repeated measure ANOVA and independent samples t-test in SPSS software. A significance level of P0.05). In addition, after 4 weeks of HAE, body weight and BMI significantly decreased in the training group compared to the control (P<0.05). Discussion: According to these findings, HEA effectively reduces telomere erosion and improves weight control in postmenopausal women.