AGE-RELATED FEATURES OF MYOCARDIAL RECOVERY UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF SPIRULINA AND SAFFLOWER: A MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate adaptive and regenerative processes in the myocardium of 2, 4 -month-old outbred white rats under conditions of intense physical exertion and subsequent correction using spirulina and safflower. It was established that physical stress induces pronounced structural alterations in cardiac tissue, including cardiomyocyte dystrophy, development of interstitial fibrosis, reduced capillary density, and disruption of tissue architecture. Administration of spirulina was associated with activation of antioxidant defense mechanisms, reduction in the severity of fibrotic changes, restoration of the ultrastructural organization of cardiomyocytes, and improvement of microcirculation. Safflower treatment exerted a predominantly metabolic stabilizing effect, manifested by normalization of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and restoration of cellular homeostasis. Morphometric analysis demonstrated a tendency toward normalization of myocardial quantitative parameters in the experimental groups compared to control values. The obtained results confirm the cardioprotective and regenerative potential of the studied biologically active substances under conditions of load-induced myocardial injury.