Beneficial effects of whole-body vibration exercise for brain disorders in experimental studies with animal models: a systematic review.

Brain disorders have been a health challenge and is increasing over the years. Early diagnosis and interventions are considered essential strategies to treat patients at risk of brain disease. Physical exercise has shown to be beneficial for patients with brain diseases. A type of exercise intervention known as whole-body vibration (WBV) exercise gained increasing interest. During WBV, mechanical vibrations, produced by a vibrating platform are transmitted, to the body. The purpose of the current review was to summarize the effects of WBV exercise on brain function and behavior in experimental studies with animal models. Searches were performed in EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science including publications from 1960 to July 2021, using the keywords "whole body vibration" AND (animal or mice or mouse or rat or rodent). From 1284 hits, 20 papers were selected. Rats were the main animal model used (75%) followed by mice (20%) and porcine model (5%), 16 studies used males species and 4 females. The risk of bias, accessed with the SYRCLE Risk of Bias tool, indicated that none of the studies fulfilled all methodological criteria, resulting in possible bias. Despite heterogeneity, the results suggest beneficial effects of WBV exercise on brain functioning, mainly related to motor performance, coordination, behavioral control, neuronal plasticity and synapse function. In conclusion, the findings observed in animal studies justifies continued clinical research regarding the effectiveness and potential of WBV for the treatment of various types of brain disorders such as trauma, developmental disorders, neurogenetic diseases and other neurological diseases.

Long-term Effects of Mechanical Vibration Stimulus on the Bone Formation of Wistar Rats: An Assessment Method Based on X-rays Images.

BACKGROUND: Bone is a complex living tissue that adapts itself to the demands of mechanical stimuli such as physical activity and exercise. Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a type of exercise characterized by the transmission of mechanical vibration stimuli produced by a vibrating platform. This study aimed to investigated, in experimental model, the effect of WBV exercise on the bone in different frequencies through X-ray analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar rats were divided in three groups: control, exposed to WBV of 10 Hz and exposed to WBV of 20 Hz, during 8-weeks. All procedures to obtain the radiographic images were carried out before and after the experiments. The femur linear size and bone density measurements through radiographic images were performed in all animals. A factor of increase for bone density (FIBD) was determined. RESULTS: No differences were observed in the qualitative comparison between the groups, as well as radiographic bone density before the experiment. However, after the experiment the bone density increased in the rats exposed to WBV of 10 Hz and 20 Hz compared to control group. Also, the FIBD was higher in the groups exposed to WBV in comparison with control. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate an increase of the bone density dependent of the vibration stimulus frequency. In addition, this increase suggests a possible osteogenic effect to the mechanical vibrations of 10 and 20 Hz.

Whole body vibration exercise combined with an extract of Coriandrum sativum modify some biochemical/physiological parameters in rats.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the association of whole body vibration (WBV) exercise with an aqueous extract of coriander on the biodistribution of the radiopharmaceutical sodium pertechnetate, on the concentration of some plasma biomarker, on the feed intake, on the body mass, and on the stool consistency in rats. Rats were divided in four groups and submitted to different treatments for 40 days. The control group (CON) received deionized water. The group treated with coriander (COR) received the extract of coriander. The rats that were exposed to WBV exercises (WBV-E) also received deionized water. A group of animals received coriander and was exposed to WBV (COR + WBV-E). We found in testis a decrease (0.13 ± 0.01 to 0.06 ± 0.03) of the percentages of injected radioactivity per gram (%ATI/g) in the WBV-E in comparison with the COR. There is no significant alteration on the concentrations of the plasma biomarkers. The feed intake showed a statistically significant increase in WBV-E. No significant difference on the body mass was found. The stool analysis showed a statistical difference on the consistency between COR (hard and dry, darker) and all the other groups (normal). In conclusion, it was verified that possible modifications in some biochemical/physiological parameters of the rats submitted to WBV exercise would be capable to increase the feed intake without changing the body mass, and normalizing the stool consistency altered by the coriander supplementation. Further studies are needed to try to understand better the biological effects involving the association of WBV exercise and coriander.

Systematic review of whole body vibration exercises in the treatment of cerebral palsy: Brief report.

OBJECTIVE: Whole body vibration (WBV) is increasingly being used to improve balance and motor function and reduce the secondary complications associated with cerebral palsy (CP). The purpose of this study was to systematically appraise published research regarding the effects of static and/or dynamic exercise performed on a vibrating platform on gait, strength, spasticity and bone mineral density (BMD) within this population. METHODS: Systematic searches of six electronic databases identified five studies that met our inclusion criteria (2 at Level II and 3 at Level III-2). Studies were analysed to determine: (a) participant characteristics; (b) optimal exercise and WBV treatment protocol; (c) effect on gait, strength, spasticity and BMD; and (d) the outcome measures used to evaluate effect. As data was not homogenous a meta-analysis was not possible. RESULTS: Several design limitations were identified and intervention protocols are poorly described. The effects on strength, gait, spasticity and BMD in persons with CP remain inconclusive with weak evidence that WBV may improve selected muscle strength and gait parameters and that prolonged exposure may improve BMD; there is currently no evidence that WBV can reduce spasticity. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence for exercise performed on a vibrating platform on mobility, strength, spasticity and BMD in CP remains scant and further larger scale investigations with controlled parameters to better understand the effects of WBV exercises in this population is recommended.

Antigenotoxic and antimutagenic potential of an annatto pigment (norbixin) against oxidative stress.

Carotenoids are 40-carbon molecules with conjugated double bonds, making them particularly effective for quenching free radicals. They have always been believed to possess anticancer properties, which could be due to their antioxidant potential. Norbixin is an unusual dicarboxylic water-soluble carotenoid present as a component in the pericarp of the seeds of Bixa orellana L. (from the Bixaceae family), a tropical shrub commonly found in Brazil. The main carotenoids present in these seeds, bixin and norbixin, form a coloring material, known as annatto, which is mainly used in the food industry. As annatto is only used as a coloring material, most studies of annatto pigments have focused on the determination of annatto levels in food. However, little attention has been given to the biological properties of bixin and norbixin. We evaluated the effect of norbixin on the response of Escherichia coli cells to DNA damage induced by UV radiation, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anions (O2*-)) and found that norbixin protects the cells against these agents. Norbixin enhanced survival at least 10 times. The SOS induction by UVC was inhibited 2.3 times more when cells were grown in the presence of norbixin. We also found that norbixin has antimutagenic properties, with a maximum inhibition of H2O2-induced mutagenic activity of 87%, based on the Salmonella mutagenicity test.

Cellular inactivation induced by H2O2 and active oxygen species generated by environmental stresses in bacteria

Oxyygen free radicals are highly reactive species that damage several cellular macromolecules and organelles, including membrane lipid peroxidation and produce DNA lesions. We have discussed here; i) The mechanism of radiation-induced cellular damage in bacteria through the intermediation of active oxygen species; ii) the cellular inactivation and the role of bacterial SOS and OxyR systems in the repair of lesions induced by H2O2 under low iron condition; iii) the lethal interaction between H2O2 and o-phenanthroline in E. coli; iv) the biological response induced by near-UV radiation mediated by active oxygen species and finally v) the mutagenic potential of popular plant extracts like guaraná (Paullinia cupana), mate (Ilex paraguariensis) and saiao (Kalanchoe brasiliensis), whose effects are eventually mediated by active oxygen species.