ABSTRACT
The effects of a 70% methanolic extract and its fractions obtained from <I>Eleutherococcus</I>, and effects of exercise on oxidative enzyme activity in skeletal muscle, superoxide dismutase activity and lipid peroxidation were studied for 6 weeks using male ICR mice. At the age of 11 weeks, 70 mice were divided into six groups: a non-exercise group (control), a group administered the 70% methanolic extract (MeOH), a group administered a water-soluble extract (water), a group administered an n-BuOH extract (n-BuOH), a group administered an EtOAc extract (EtOAc) and a group given running exercise (exercise) . <I>Eleutherococcus</I> extracts were given p, o, at 170 mg/kg per day (6 days/week) for 6 weeks.<BR>After 6 weeks of training (1 h/day, 6 days/week at 15 m/min, on a flat floor without any slope), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity in gastrocnemius muscle was increased significatly in the exercise group compared with the control group. SDH activity showed an increasing tendency in groups given <I>Eleutherococcus</I> extracts compared with the control group (n-BuOH>water>MeOH>EtOAc>control) . Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activity in the exercise group was significantly different from that in the control group at P<0.005. In the water and n-BuOH groups, MDH activity was significantly greater than in the control group, whereas an increasing tendency was shown in the McOH and EtOAc groups. Muscle superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the exercise, McOH, water and n-BuOH groups was significantly greater than in the control group, and hepatic SOD activity was slightly higher in the exercise, McOH and water groups in comparison with the control group, although these differences were not significant. After endurance training, hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) was decreased by 17% in the exercise group. In the n-BuOH and EtOAc groups, a significant decrease was observed in hepatic LPO.<BR>These results suggest that endurance training and administration of <I>Eleutherococcus</I> extracts enhance the activities of oxidative enzymes in skeletal muscle and also SOD in mice, resulting in improved aerobic metabolic rates, and also might intensify the functions of the host defense system against injury caused lipid peroxidation.
ABSTRACT
The effects of a 70% methanolic extract and its fractions obtained from <I>Eleutherococcus</I>, and effects of exercise on oxidative enzyme activity in skeletal muscle, superoxide dismutase activity and lipid peroxidation were studied for 6 weeks using male ICR mice. At the age of 11 weeks, 70 mice were divided into six groups: a non-exercise group (control), a group administered the 70% methanolic extract (MeOH), a group administered a water-soluble extract (water), a group administered an n-BuOH extract (n-BuOH), a group administered an EtOAc extract (EtOAc) and a group given running exercise (exercise) . <I>Eleutherococcus</I> extracts were given p, o, at 170 mg/kg per day (6 days/week) for 6 weeks.<BR>After 6 weeks of training (1 h/day, 6 days/week at 15 m/min, on a flat floor without any slope), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity in gastrocnemius muscle was increased significatly in the exercise group compared with the control group. SDH activity showed an increasing tendency in groups given <I>Eleutherococcus</I> extracts compared with the control group (n-BuOH>water>MeOH>EtOAc>control) . Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activity in the exercise group was significantly different from that in the control group at P<0.005. In the water and n-BuOH groups, MDH activity was significantly greater than in the control group, whereas an increasing tendency was shown in the McOH and EtOAc groups. Muscle superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the exercise, McOH, water and n-BuOH groups was significantly greater than in the control group, and hepatic SOD activity was slightly higher in the exercise, McOH and water groups in comparison with the control group, although these differences were not significant. After endurance training, hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) was decreased by 17% in the exercise group. In the n-BuOH and EtOAc groups, a significant decrease was observed in hepatic LPO.<BR>These results suggest that endurance training and administration of <I>Eleutherococcus</I> extracts enhance the activities of oxidative enzymes in skeletal muscle and also SOD in mice, resulting in improved aerobic metabolic rates, and also might intensify the functions of the host defense system against injury caused lipid peroxidation.