The effect of apricot added sports drink on cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction in rats exercising strenuously

Aim: Different pharmacological and non-pharmacological agents are important for coping with exercise-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. The efficacy of sports drinks was evaluated by comparing apricot-added sports drink with commercially available sports drinks on mitochondrial dysfunction caused by strenuous exercise. Material and Method: In the study, male Wistar Albino rats were used and divided into 4 groups as control, strenuous exercise (ZE), strenuous exercise+commercial sports drink (ZE+TSI), and challenging exercise+apricot added sports drink (ZE+KKSI) (n=40). After 10 weeks of challenging treadmill exercise, Beclin-1, Atg12 and Atrogin mRNA levels, COXII gene mtDNA levels and aconitase activity by ELISA were measured in gastrocnemius and left ventricular tissues by real-time PCR method. In addition, mitochondrial structure was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in left ventricular tissue. Results were calculated by appropriate statistical methods Results: COXII and aconitase activity levels were different between groups (p<0.005). While the atrogin level in the gastrocnemius muscle was different between the groups (p<0.005), the atrogin level in the left ventricle was decreased in the groups that were subjected to strenuous exercise (p<0.005). Beclin level increased in the left ventricle and gastrocnemius tissue in the groups that had strenuous exercise (p<0.005), while the groups that were given sports drink in the gastrocnemius muscle decreased compared to the ZE group (p<0.005). It was observed that Atg12 level increased in the gastrocnemius muscle only in the ZE+KKSI group (p<0.005), and in the left ventricular tissue in the ZE+TSI group compared to the ZE group (p<0.005). In the TEM examination, myocardial structure was disrupted and mitochondrial crista damage, crista loss, dilatation and degeneration were observed, but these damage were found to be improved in the groups given KKSI Conclusion: That strenuous exercise induces autophagy, causing myofibril degeneration and mitochondrial dysfunction, which structure is disrupted, and partially ameliorates these disorders in rats given TSI. It was observed that the mitochondrial function, general structural and functional status of the rats given KKSI were significantly improved in the heart muscle. Keywords: Apricot, Exercise, Mitochondrial dysfunction, Sports drink,