International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-7802042015071115511551EN20150711<strong>Background</strong>: Cisplatin (CP) is a chemotherapy drug and nephrotoxicity is a major concern for CP therapy. CP‑induced nephrotoxicity is gender‑dependent, and the effect of aerobic exercise in females has not been reported yet while it has a beneficial effect in males. Hence, this study was designed to<br />determine the protective role of aerobic exercise against CP‑induced nephrotoxicity in female rats.<br /><strong>Methods</strong>: Twenty‑eight adult female rats were divided into four groups. Groups I and II had aerobic<br />exercise on a treadmill for 8 weeks. Then, the exercise protocol was continued for another week in group I and stopped in group II. All animals in these groups received CP (2.5 mg/kg/day; i.p.) for 1‑week. Groups III and IV were treated with CP and vehicle, respectively, without exercise. Finally, the animals were sacrificed for biochemical measurements and tissue histopathology investigations.<br /><strong>Results</strong>: CP alone without exercise increased serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and<br />creatinine (Cr), kidney weight, and kidney tissue damage score (KTDS); while exercise could not attenuate these parameters in female rats. Exercise in females increased the serum levels<br />of BUN and Cr and KTDS and weight loss (P &lt; 0.05). Kidney nitrite levels reduce significantly in group I in compared to positive and negative control groups. Exercise also did not have beneficial effects on malondialdehyde levels in plasma and kidney.<br /><strong>Conclusions</strong>: Aerobic exercise cannot reduce CP‑induced nephrotoxicity in female rats. Increasing the damage in female rats may be related to female sex hormone estrogen or gender<br />differences in renal hemodynamic and renin‑angiotensin system activity in the presence of exercise. In general, it is recommended that the females under CP chemotherapy avoid exercising during treatment.<br /><strong>Keywords</strong>: Aerobic exercise, cisplatin, female rats, nephrotoxicityhttp://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/1551http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/1551/1842