Research on the Influence of Anti-fatigue Effect and Movement Ability of Blueberry Polysaccharides on Aged Mice

A review of the polysaccharides against fatigue and the underlying mechanism

Fatigue is a common physiological state that affects normal human activities. Prolonged fatigue induces a variety of diseases and seriously affects human health, so it is imperative to discover nutritional dietary supplements and treatments without side effects, among which natural anti-fatigue polysaccharides have shown great potential. Polysaccharides, a class of biomolecules produced by a variety of organisms such as plants, animals, bacteria and algae, have attracted much attention in recent years due to their anti-fatigue activity and fewer side effects. This review summarizes the classification, dosage and experimental models of polysaccharides with anti-fatigue activity obtained from different natural sources. We also review the fatigue-relieving effects of these polysaccharides through mechanisms such as modulating oxidative damage, regulating energy metabolism and influencing intestinal flora, as well as the effects of molecular weights, monosaccharide compositions, structural features and chemical modifications of the polysaccharides on their anti-fatigue activities to support their potential application value in functional foods and pharmaceuticals. New valuable insights for future research on natural polysaccharides are also presented in the field of natural production of bio-based functional materials, functional foods and therapeutic agents.

Antioxidant and Anti-Fatigue Effects of a Standardized Botanical Extract Fraction (HemoHIM) in Forced-Exercised Aged Mice

HemoHIM is a standardized medicinal herbal preparation consisting of extracts of Angelica gigas Nakai, Cnidium officinale Makino, and Paeonia lactiflora Pallas that possesses immune regulatory activities. This study aimed to research the potential antioxidant effects of HemoHIM and its capacity for reducing fatigue in aged mice subjected to forced exercise. After administering HemoHIM 125 (500 mg/kg orally) for 4 weeks in 8-month-old female C57BL/6 mice (4 groups of 10 mice), various parameters were evaluated. The analyses revealed that HemoHIM enhanced swimming time and grip strength. In addition, it significantly reduced serum lactate levels and increased liver glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels after exercise challenge. The expression levels of antioxidant enzymes and factors, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2), heme oxygenase 1, superoxide dismutase, GPx, and glutathione reductase, were significantly higher in liver and muscle tissues of mice treated with HemoHIM. These results indicate that HemoHIM might function as an anti-fatigue and antioxidant agent by modulating the Nrf-2 signaling pathway.

Astragali Radix-Codonopsis Radix-Jujubae Fructus water extracts ameliorate exercise-induced fatigue in mice via modulating gut microbiota and its metabolites

BACKGROUD

Astragali Radix (AR) and Codonopsis Radix (CR) are widely used as the tonic herbal medicine with efficacy of tonifying qi in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which showed significant antifatigue activities. In this study, AR and CR were combined, with Jujubae Fructus (JF) further added to improve the taste, to afford the ACJ extracts in the ratio of 2:1:2.

RESULTS

The results showed that ACJ water extract exhibited antifatigue effect by the weight-loaded exhaustive swimming test in mice. The untargeted fecal metabolomic approach and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis showed that ACJ could improve exercise performance by regulating changes of gut metabolites and microbiota to alleviate fatigue. Four pathways were determined as the key pathways relating with its antifatigue effect, which included sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis and d-arginine and d-ornithine metabolism. Correlation analysis showed the complex association among bacteria, metabolites and phenotypes.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this study revealed new perspectives to study the antifatigue mechanism of ACJ extracts from the gut microbiota, which provided the basis for further functional food development. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antioxidant and antifatigue effect of a standardized fraction (HemoHIM) from Angelica gigas, Cnidium officinale, and Paeonia lactiflora

CONTEXT

HemoHIM is an herbal preparation containing Angelica gigas Nakai (Apiaceae), Cnidium officinale Makino (Umbelliferae), and Paeonia lactiflora Pallas (Paeoniaceae) developed for immune regulation. To date, studies on the antifatigue effects of HemoHIM have not been conducted.

OBJECTIVE

The antifatigue effects of HemoHIM using models of citrinin and exercise-induced chronic fatigue syndrome were investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Citrinin-induced L6 skeletal muscle cells were treated with HemoHIM (125, 250, and 500 μg/mL). The antioxidant factors were analysed. ICR mice were divided into four groups (n = 10): control, HemoHIM 250, 500 mg/kg, and creatine 300 mg/kg, respectively. Mice were orally administered HemoHIM or creatine for three weeks; during this time, both rotarod test and forced swimming test (FST) were conducted. The latency time was investigated and antioxidant, antifatigue factors were analysed.

RESULTS

HemoHIM significantly restored reduced antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, Txn, GPx, GSr, and GCLC in HemoHIM 500 μg/mL) compared to the citrinin group in L6 cells. In vivo, HemoHIM significantly improved the latency time (FST; 279.88 ± 50.32 sec, rotarod test; 552.35 ± 23.50 sec in HemoHIM 500 mg/kg). Moreover, the FST-induced reduction in glucose and glutathione significantly increased by 3-fold (HemoHIM 500 mg/kg) and increase in LDH and MDA were significantly inhibited by 1.6, 2.1-fold in the HemoHIM 500 mg/kg compared to the control group.

Anti-fatigue property of the oyster polypeptide fraction and its effect on gut microbiota in mice

We aimed to evaluate the anti-fatigue effects of the oyster polypeptide (OP) fraction and its regulatory effect on the gut microbiota in mice. Our exhaustive swimming experiment showed that the swimming time of the low-, middle- and high-dose groups of the OP fraction was increased by 1.82, 2.18 and 2.44 times compared with the control group, respectively. Besides, the liver glycogen levels of the three groups were increased by 19.3%, 42.02% and 65.07%, while the lactate levels were decreased by 18.85%, 21.18% and 28.74%, respectively. Moreover, administration of the OP fraction upregulated the expressions of PEPCK and AMPK, but downregulated the TNF-α expression. Correlation analysis between the gut microbiota and fatigue-related biochemical indicators showed that Faecalibacterium, Desulfovibri and Intestinibacter were negatively correlated with the swimming time, blood lactate, blood urea nitrogen, liver glycogen and muscle glycogen, while Yaniella and Romboutsia were positively correlated. Therefore, the OP fraction had anti-fatigue effects, and could regulate the abundance of gut microbiota and maintain its balance.

Assessing the Values of Blueberries Intake on Exercise Performance, TAS, and Inflammatory Factors

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of blueberry supplementation on exercise performance time, inflammation markers, energy substrates, insulin, and TAS levels during two periods: non-supplemented period and supplemented period.

METHODS

Eight young active participants were recruited from the Department of Physical Education at some universities in Busan City, Republic of Korea. The test period was divided into two Sections: non-supplemented period and supplemented period. Vo2 max and exercise performance time of participants were measured, with or without blueberry supplementation, with a portable gas analyzer and ECG, respectively.

RESULTS

Vo2 max and exercise performance time were increased in the blueberry supplementation period. IL-6 and CRP levels were significantly lowered in blueberry supplementation period following exercise.

CONCLUSION

The blueberry supplementation can potentially increase the exercise performance and decrease the IL-6 and CRP levels caused by an increased TAS level.