Abstract

This study was designed to determine the effects of physical activity on thrombin time and coagulation time in epiphysectomized rats. Male Wistar rats (n = 60) weighing 90 to 100 g were divided into 2 groups; control group (without epiphysectomy) and experimental group (epiphysectomy). In each group, animals were divided into three subgroups: control (without physical activity), short-time (5 min physical activity) and long-time (with 20 min physical activity). Blood samples were collected from rat tail tip in several stages as before and after epiphysectomy and physical activity from experimental group, to determine coagulation time. Exercise programs were performed including; swimming on water pool until 5 min (short-time) and 20 min (long-time) in experimental and control groups. Autopsy was done on all the rats. Thrombin time was measured for each tissue. Our data showed that physical activity significantly decreased thrombin time on tissues of rats as compared to baseline values in control group (P < 0.001). In contrast, physical activity significantly increased thrombin time on different tissues in epiphysectomy rats (P < 0.001). Also, our results showed that in epiphysectomized rats after long-time physical activity, coagulation time increased but after short-time it decreased. In conclusion, these results suggest that there is a functional relationship between the pineal gland and the exercise on changes of hemostatic parameters in blood via its hormone melatonin.

Key words: Thrombin time, coagulation time, physical activity, epiphysectomized rats.

Abbreviation

CT, Coagulation time; TT, thrombin time; EP, epiphysectomy; NEP, without epiphysectomy; PHA, physical activity; NPHA, without physical activity.