Background and Aim: Obesity is associated with increased systemic inflammation and disruption of neuroimmunological pathways. SEMA3C is considered an adipokine linked to metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise and garlic extract on SEMA3C gene expression in the cerebral cortex of obese rats.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 25 male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: healthy control, obese control, obese+garlic, obese+exercise, and obese+garlic+exercise. A high-fat diet was administered for 12 weeks to induce obesity. Moderate aerobic exercise was conducted and oral garlic extract was administered for eight weeks. SEMA3C gene expression in the cerebral cortex was determined using RT-PCR. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA.
Results: Obesity induction led to a significant increase in SEMA3C expression. Garlic extract supplementation significantly reduced SEMA3C expression, while exercise alone induced a non-significant decrease. The combined intervention of garlic and exercise resulted in the greatest reduction, which was statistically significant compared to the exercise-only group.
Conclusion: Garlic extract has a more potent effect than exercise in reducing SEMA3C expression, and its combination with exercise results in a synergistic effect. These findings highlight the importance of nutritional interventions, particularly garlic extract supplementation, in managing the adverse effects of obesity on brain health and neuroimmunological pathways.