Comparing the Effects of Rosemary Extract and Treadmill Exercise on the Hippocampal Function and Antioxidant Capacity in Old Rats

Introduction: A sequence of time-dependent changes can affect the brain’s functional capacity. This study aimed at investigating the effects of Forced Aerobic Exercise (FAE) versus the Rosemary Extract (RE) on the learning abilities and oxidative stress modulation in rats. Methods: Young and old rats received daily FAE and RE for 3 months. Using the Passive Avoidance (PA) test, we evaluated the learning and memory of the rats by Step-Through Latency (STL) score. We measured the Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Catalase (CATA), Malondialdehyde (MDA) enzymes levels, and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) in the hippocampus Results: FAE could significantly increase the STL score (P