Investigation of Cardiovascular Toxicity of Nandrolone Decanoate in Exercised Rats

Abstract

Abuse of anabolic steroids has been linked to different cardiovascular side effects. The aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of nandrolone decanoate on plasma lipid profile, cardiac tissue tumor necrosis factor-α, cardiac hydroxyproline, plasma creatine kinase and cardiac electrophysiology, alone and in combination with exercise. Sedentary and exercised rats (swimming, three times per week for 10 weeks) were treated with nandrolone decanoate (10 mg/kg, i.m.) once per week for 6 successive weeks. Five groups were compared: (1) sedentary ingrats receiv vehicle, (2) exercise group, (3) nandrolone decanoate group, (4) rats performing exercise and receiving vehicle, (5) rats performing exercise and receiving nandrolone decanoate.Treatment with nandrolone decanoate increased plasma low density lipoproteins,triglycrides, total cholesterol levels, creatine kinase activity, and decreased plasma high density lipoproteins levels in sedentary rats. Moreover, levels of cardiac tumor necrosis factor-α, and hydroxyproline were increased after administration of nandrolone decanoate in sedentary rats. However, exercise blunted some of these deleterious effects by improving lipid profile, creatine kinase activity, and decreasing cardiac tumor necrosis factor-α level. Administration of nandrolone decanoate in exercised rats had also significant effect in lowering heart rate. Together these results indicate that while nandrolone decanoate induced proatherogenic lipoprotein profile effects and pro-ischemic effects (Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, hydroxyproline), exercise counteracted some of these effects, and favorably modified the lipoprotein profile and the cardiac pro-inflammatory; tumor necrosis factor-α. Key words: Nandrolone decanoate, Cardiovascular system, Exercise, Rats.