Antioxidant Effect of Bilberry on Oxidative Stress Caused by Acute Exercise in Rats

This research is supported by Ataturk University Scientific Research Commission. Abstract This study, it was aimed to determine the antioxidant effect of bilberry extract in decreasing the oxidative stress caused by acute exhaustive exercises in rats' blood and liver tissues.  27 Spraque-Dawley type male rats were divided into four groups (control, exercise, bilberry and bilberry+exercise groups). Bilberry extract was administered using gavage once daily. Before blood and liver tissues were taken, the rats ran in a treadmill at a speed of 25 m/min (1.5 km / h) at a slope of 0 for about 1 hour or until exhaustion. Compared to the control group, serum GSH levels and GPx activities did not have a significant change in the bilberry, acute exercise and bilberry + acute exercise groups; while serum MDA levels decreased significantly. When compared to the control group, liver GPx activity significantly increased in the bilberry and bilberry+acute exercise groups. Again, it was determined that liver GSH level significantly increased in bilberry+acute exercise group.The results of this study demonstrate that bilberry extract may provide antioxidant protection against a potential oxidative damage as it causes an increase in hepatic GPx activity and GSH levels in rats exposed to acute exhaustive exercise. Keywords: Antioxidants, acute exhaustive exercise, bilberry, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehy DOI: 10.7176/JMPB/65-04 Publication date: April 30 th 2020