Systemic arterial hypertension is considered the foremost cardiovascular risk factor, and it is important to examine different therapies that help prevent and treat it, especially when associated with other cardiovascular risk factors. In this context, it is known that both carvacrol and aerobic physical training benefit the cardiovascular system. This study investigated the effects of treatment with carvacrol combined with aerobic exercise on hypertensive rats with cardiovascular risk parameters. We used an experimental design with six groups: normotensive control (Wistar rats); hypertensive control (spontaneously hypertensive rats, SHR); positive control rats treated with amlodipine (Aml-20 mg); rats treated with carvacrol (Carv-20 mg); rats trained with exercise (Exer); and rats treated with carvacrol and exercise (ExerCarv). The treatment lasted for 4 weeks, monitoring heart rate and systolic blood pressure (SBP). At the end of the treatment, vascular reactivity tests were performed in addition to biochemical measurements of urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, atherogenic indexes, relative heart weight and histopathological analysis of cardiac perivascular tissue. Significant reductions in SBP were observed after the training period, with the ExerCarv group showing a greater magnitude of reduction (∆SBP = 88 ± 10.0 mmHg, 42%). This group also experienced reductions in atherogenic indices and improvement in all analysed lipid parameters, with no differences observed in the Exer group. The findings indicated that the interaction between aerobic exercise and carvacrol offers a greater BP reduction. Exercise is particularly effective for controlling biochemical parameters of cardiovascular risk, regardless of carvacrol use.

Resumo Introdução: Com o envelhecimento, é comum ocorrerem alterações em diferentes áreas da cognição, como a memória, função executiva, linguagem, desenvolvimento psicomotor e função visoespacial. A atividade física regular, contudo, tem sido descrita como um excelente meio de atenuar as degenerações provocadas pelo envelhecimento dentro dos domínios físico, psicológico e social. Objetivo: Avaliar os efeitos do treinamento resistido em idosas com comprometimento cognitivo leve. Métodos: Estudo experimental com 31 idosas sedentárias, divididas em grupo controle (GC; n = 15) e grupo treinamento resistido (GTR; n = 16), submetidas a avaliações antropométricas, composição corporal, força máxima, frequência cardíaca (FC), pressão arterial (PA) e aplicação de questionário (Mini Exame do Estado Mental). Resultados: Observou-se aumento da capacidade cognitiva no GTR (pós 26,00 ± 2,13 vs. GC 22,24 ± 3,82 vs. pré 24,06 ± 2,38 GTR) e redução na PA sistólica (pós 107,50 ± 11,97 vs. GC 126,00 ± 9,72 vs. pré 124,13 ± 12,55 mmHg GTR), PA diastólica (pós 68,50 ± 8,15 vs. GC 81,73 ± 4,59 vs. pré 74,69 ± 6,87 mmHg GTR) e duplo produto no GTR (pós 7746 ± 1244 vs. GC 9336 ± 1595 vs. pré 9286 ± 1309 mmHg x bpm GTR). Não houve redução na FC no GTR (pós 72,00 ± 7,40 vs. GC 74,00 ± 10,50 vs. pré 74,94 ± 8,42 bpm GTR). Em relação à força muscular, observou-se aumento em todos os exercícios. Conclusão: O presente estudo mostrou que o treinamento resistido aumentou a força muscular e que houve redução de variáveis hemodinâmicas; entretanto, o achado mais importante desse estudo foi o aumento na capacidade cognitiva das idosas.

Introduction: With aging, it is common for some changes to occur in different areas of cognition, such as memory, executive function, language and psychomotor speed. However, regular physical activity has been described as an excellent way to alleviate the degeneration caused by aging within the various physical, psychological and social domains. Objective: To evaluate the effects of resistance training in elderly women with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: Experimental study with 31 sedentary elderly women divided into control (CG; n=15) and resistance training (RTG; n=16) groups who underwent assessment of anthropometric measures, body composition, maximum strength, heart rate and blood pressure and questionnaire application (Mini-Mental State Examination). Results: Cognitive ability increased in RTG (post 26.00 ± 2.13 vs. CG 22.24 ± 3.82 vs. pre 24.06 ± 2.38 RTG). In RTG, there was a reduction in systolic blood pressure (post 107.50 ± 11.97 vs. CG 126.00 ± 9.72 vs. pre 124.13 ± 12.55 mmHg RTG), diastolic blood pressure (post 68.50 ± 8.15 vs. CG 81.73 ± 4.59 vs. pre 74.69 ± 6.87 mmHg RTG) and double product (post 7746 ± 1244 vs. CG 9336 ± 1595 vs. pre 9286 ± 1309 mmHg x bpm RTG), but not in heart rate (post 72.00 ± 7.40 vs. CG 74.00 ± 10.50 vs. pre 74.94 ± 8.42 bpm RTG). Regarding muscle strength, an increase was evident in all exercises. Conclusion: The present study showed that resistance training in elderly women increased muscle strength and reduced hemodynamic variables. But the most important finding was that there was an increase in cognitive capacity.