Effect of Barberry juice consumption on serum levels of liver enzymes following exhaustive exercise in active girls

Introduction: Barberry has bioactive compounds with medicinal and therapeutic properties. Considering the adverse changes in liver enzymes following the exhaustive exercise, this study was performed with aim to evaluate the effect of Barberry juice consumption on serum levels of liver enzymes of Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) following one session of exhaustive exercise in active girls. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2017 on 20 active girls in Mashhad. The subjects were divided into two groups of supplementation (n = 10) and placebo (n = 10). After two weeks of supplementation (250 ml of Barberry juice and placebo), the subjects participated in an exhaustive exercise. The changes in liver enzymes (AST،ALP،ALT) were measured in three stages (basal state, after supplementation period, after exhaustive exercise). Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 19) and Excel (2010), and independent t-test, repeated measures t-test and post-hoc test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Barberry juice consumption significantly reduced AST (p=0.021), ALP (p=0.018) and ALT (p=0.014) in supplement group, and exhaustive exercise significantly increased all three enzymes in two groups. However, the range of changes in all three AST (p=0.021), ALP (p=0.019) and ALT (p=0.019) immediately after exhaustive exercise was significantly lower in the supplement group than the placebo group; the Barberry juice consumption could significantly prevent from the increase in the levels of AST, ALP and ALT immediately after the exhaustive exercise. Conclusion: Barberry juice supplementation can prevent the physiological increase in liver enzymes following exhaustive exercise in active girls and play an important role in the desired changes in liver enzymes.