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Effect of Physical Exercise on Endometriosis Experimentally Induced in Rats

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Abstract

Objective

Endometriosis is characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. The prevalence of endometriosis among women experiencing pain, infertility, or both is as high as 35% to 50%. The most common symptoms of endometriosis are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Evidence has suggested that endometriosis symptoms result from a local inflammatory peritoneal reaction caused by ectopic endometrial implants that undergo cyclic bleeding. On the other hand, regular physical exercise seems to have protective effects against diseases that involve inflammatory processes such as type 2 diabetes and colon and breast cancer. On this basis, it is possible that the practice of physical exercise may have beneficial effects on endometriosis. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the possible anti-inflammatory effect of physical exercise on endometriosis experimentally induced in rats.

Study Design

Seventy female Wistar rats were divided into 7groups of 10 animals each. Animals performed light exercise (swimming once a week), moderate exercise (swimming 3 times a week), and intense exercise (swimming 5 times a week) before or after endometriosis induction.

Results

At the end of the experimental protocol, a reduction in the size of endometriotic lesions was observed after physical exercise regardless of its frequency, with a greater reduction in the groups practicing moderate and intense activity; an increase in FAS levels and a decrease in matrix metalloproteinases 9 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)levels was also observed. The immunohistochemistry results did not lead to conclusive results. As expected, oxidative stress was reduced in all groups. These results show that the practice of physical exercise could be beneficial, at least in part, for the treatment of endometriosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900. Monte Alegre—Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049, Brazil

    Mary Lourdes Montenegro PhD, Camila M. Bonocher MSc, Juliana Meola PhD, Rui Alberto Ferriani PhD & Julio Cesar Rosa-e-Silva PhD

  2. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Rafael L. Portella PhD

  3. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Alfredo Ribeiro-Silva PhD & Mariangela O. Brunaldi PhD

Authors
  1. Mary Lourdes Montenegro PhD
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  2. Camila M. Bonocher MSc
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  3. Juliana Meola PhD
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  4. Rafael L. Portella PhD
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  5. Alfredo Ribeiro-Silva PhD
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  6. Mariangela O. Brunaldi PhD
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  7. Rui Alberto Ferriani PhD
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  8. Julio Cesar Rosa-e-Silva PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Julio Cesar Rosa-e-Silva PhD.

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Montenegro, M.L., Bonocher, C.M., Meola, J. et al. Effect of Physical Exercise on Endometriosis Experimentally Induced in Rats. Reprod. Sci. 26, 785–793 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719118799205

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719118799205

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