Modulation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor genes and gamma glutamyl transferase in rats by high intensity interval training and livergol

Obesity is a global health concern affecting multiple organs and is influenced by genetics, diet, and physical activity. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) regulates lipid and glucose metabolism, while gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is a marker of liver function.The combined effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and livergol, a liver-protective supplement, on these markers in obesity remains unclear. The primary aim of this study was to specifically examine the effects of 8 weeks of HIIT and livergolsupplementation, administered individually and in combination, on the gene expression levels of PPARγ and the enzymatic activity of GGT in the liver and adipose tissues of obese male Wistar rats. In this experimental study, forty male Wistar rats (8 weeks old, weighing 246 ± 15 g) were fed a high-fat diet to induce obesity, then randomly divided into four groups ( n  = 10): control, HIIT, livergol, and HIIT + livergol. The interventions lasted for 8 weeks. The study setting was laboratory-based. Adipose tissue and liver samples were collected one day after the last session in a fasting state and analyzed in the reference laboratory. The primary outcome measures were PPARγ gene expression (RT-PCR) in adipose tissues and GGT enzymatic activity (biochemical assay) in liver samples. Data were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk, Levene, two-way ANOVA, and Bonferroni post hoc ( P  ≤ 0.05) tests. Results are presented as mean ± standard deviation with 95% confidence interval (CI). Among 40 obese male Wistar rats, HIIT combined with Livergolsupplementation markedly improved metabolic health by substantially upregulating PPARγ expression in the HIIT and HIIT + Livergolgroups ( P  < 0.05) while reducing GGT activity compared to controls (where GGT was significantly higher( P  < 0.05). PPARγ expression increased by 317% in the HIIT group, 267% in the livergolgroup, and 435% in the HIIT + livergolgroup compared with controls. GGT activity decreased by 27.4%, 32.3%, and 23.9% in HIIT, livergol, and HIIT + livergolgroups, respectively, compared with the control group. Enhanced expression of PPARγ likely drives improved adipocyte differentiation, fatty acid oxidation, and insulin signaling in adipose and liver tissues, thereby attenuating dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia; these effects are amplified in the combined group. Simultaneously, the observed reductions in GGT activity indicate diminished hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation. Livergol’s silymarin content appears to potentiate this hepatoprotection by scavenging reactive oxygen species, and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) emerges as a promising adjunctive strategy for obesity management.