Low-Intensity Aerobic Training Mitigates Dyslipidemia in a Rat Model of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity

All articles of this category (opens in new window) Address for correspondence Talita Cristina Rodrigues Pereira (talitaedf@hotmail.com) Doxorubicin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, is known for its cardiotoxic side effects, including metabolic disturbances such as dyslipidemia, which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in cancer patients. Physical exercise is a promising non-pharmacological strategy to mitigate these adverse effects. This study investigate the impact of low-intensity aerobic training on the lipid profile of rats with doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Thirty-six adult male Wistar rats were randomized into three groups (n=12 each): control(C), doxorubicin-treated (D), and doxorubicin-treated with low-intensity aerobic training (DT). Groups D and DT received intraperitoneal injections of doxorubicin (2 mg/kg/week for 4 weeks; cumulative dose 8 mg/kg). Following the development of cardiotoxicity, the DT group underwent a treadmill training protocol for five mesocycles (3 sessions/week), progressive intensity ranging from 50% to 60% of the maximal aerobic speed (MAS). Lipid parameters were assessed at the end of the experiment. The D group exhibited significantly elevated levels of total cholesterol (6.657 ± 1.99 mmol/L), LDL (2.025 ± 1.03 mmol/L), HDL (3.594 ± 0.88 mmol/L), and triglycerides (5.188 ± 2.14 mmol/L), compared to C group (2.408 ± 0.59; 0.417 ± 0.38; 1.861 ± 0.25; and 3.521 ± 1.18 mmol/L, respectively), p<0.05. In the DT group, exercise led to reductions in total cholesterol (6.037 ± 2.06 mmol/L) and triglyceride (5.003 ± 1.84 mmol/L) compared to group D.HDL levels in the DT group (2.806 ± 0.48 mmol/L) remained lower than in the group D, though still above control levels, possibly reflecting decreased oxidative stress and reduced need for functional HDL. LDL levels in the DT group (2.487 ± 1.52 mmol/L), remained elevated, suggesting partial persistence of doxorubicin-induced metabolic disruption. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA with post-hoc multiple comparisons (GraphPad Prism 8.0, p<0.05). Low-intensity aerobic training partially attenuated dyslipidemia in doxorubicin rats, particularly by reducing total cholesterol and triglycerides. These findings support the role of physical exercise as a potential adjunctive non-pharmacological intervention for managing cardiotoxicity and metabolic side effects during chemotherapy. Publication History Article published online: 26 June 2026 © 2026. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda. Rua Rego Freitas, 175, loja 1, República, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01220-010, Brazil Bibliographical Record Talita Cristina Rodrigues Pereira, Mariane Marques da Guarda Pinto, Taysa Machado Menezes, Ana Beatriz Martins, Vitória Brandão Leonardi, Alinne Tatiane Faria Silva, Thiago Montes Fidale, Yara Cristina de Paiva Maia, Elmiro Santos Resende. Low-Intensity Aerobic Training Mitigates Dyslipidemia in a Rat Model of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity. Brazilian Journal of Oncology 2026; 22. DOI: 10.1055/s-0046-1825345