Hormetic Property of Ginseng Steroids on Anti-Oxidant Status against Exercise Challenge in Rat Skeletal Muscle

Circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers of physical activity in geriatric patients with HCV

BACKGROUND

Circulating microRNAs have been implicated in a diverse array of biological and pathological phenomena. Their potential utility as noninvasive biomarkers for screening and diagnosing various diseases has been proposed.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the potential role of the miRNAs miR-122 and miR-486 as molecular biomarkers in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Thus, miR-122 and miR-486 were detected in the serum of HCV patients and healthy controls. Moreover, the potential correlations of miR-122 and miR-486 with viral complications, such as physical activity, pain, muscle fatigue, and HCV infection, were identified.

METHODS

A total of 150 subjects aged 30 to 66 years were included in this study. The patients were classified as patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (CHC) (n = 110) or healthy controls (n = 40). Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were performed to determine miR-122 and miR-486 expression. Physical activity (PA), pain score, HCV genotyping, viral overload, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and antioxidant status were also estimated by using prevalidated questionnaires, PCR, and spectrophotometric analyses.

RESULTS

Compared with those in normal controls, significant increases in the serum levels of miR-122 and miR-486 were reported in patients with CHC. In physically active CHC patients, there was a significant correlation between the expression of miRNAs and increased alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), fibrosis scores, and inflammation activity, but no association was reported for hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA or viral load. Additionally, significant decreases in LDH, CK, GSSG, and pain scores and increases in TAC, GSH, and the GSH/GSSG ratio were reported. Moreover, the expression of miR-122 and miR-486 was positively correlated with changes in body mass index (BMI) and liver fibrosis stage, as well as negatively correlated with sex, PA, TAC, GSH, GSSG, and the GSH/GSSG ratio.

CONCLUSION

MiR-122 and miR-486 expression levels were strongly correlated with physical activity, pain perception, and muscle fatigue biomarkers in HCV-infected patients. These miRNA levels were associated with elevated AST, ALT, fibrosis scores, LDH, CK, and antioxidant status, thus suggesting their potential as biomarkers for disease severity and oxidative stress. However, no correlation was observed with viral load or HCV-RNA expression, thus implying that these miRNAs may impact disease progression and symptoms through host factors, rather than directly affecting viral replication. In summary, the results demonstrated that molecular studies of miR-22 and miR-468 and their associations with PA, pain, adiposity, sex differences, and muscle fatigue, as well as routine biomarkers, could be useful as prognostic nanoninvasive biomarkers, thus providing novel therapeutic targets for CHC infection.

Effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Panax ginseng and Ampicillin treatment in an animal model of Listeria monocytogenes-induced endocarditis

Objective

Endocarditis is a rare but serious infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes. Panax ginseng demonstrated multiple immunomodulatory effects in earlier studies. Ampicillin is known as an effective antibiotic in the treatment of this disease. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of P. ginseng and ampicillin treatment in an animal model of Listeria monocytogenes-induced endocarditis.

Materials and Methods

Thirty mice, 5-7 weeks old, were randomly divided into five groups (n=6) including Healthy Control, Infected, Ampicillin (20 mg/kg, subcutaneous) treatment, Ginseng (0.025 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) treatment, and Ginseng (0.025 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) +Ampicillin (15 mg/kg, subcutaneous) treatment groups. The concentration of cytokines in heart tissue, such as IL-1 (interleukine-1), IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α (Tumor Necrosis Factor-α), was measured. Histopathological changes were evaluated in heart tissues.

Results

The levels of cytokines were significantly decreased in the Ampicillin+Ginseng treated group compared to the other experimental groups. Microscopically, pathologic changes in heart tissue were concomitant with biochemical findings, which in the infected group, neutrophils and mononuclear cells infiltration in endocardial tissue, myocardial cell necrosis, and edema were detectable. The Ampicillin+Ginseng group showed no significant changes compared to the normal control group.

Conclusion

This study showed that ginseng hydro-alcoholic extract plus ampicillin has better efficacy than the extract or antibiotic alone against experimental endocarditis caused by Listeriosis.

American Ginseng Attenuates Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage via the Modulation of Lipid Peroxidation and Inflammatory Adaptation in Males

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is characterized by a reduction in functional performance, disruption of muscle structure, production of reactive oxygen species, and inflammatory reactions. Ginseng, along with its major bioactive component ginsenosides, has been widely employed in traditional Chinese medicine. The protective potential of American ginseng (AG) for eccentric EIMD remains unclear. Twelve physically active males (age: 22.4 ± 1.7 years; height: 175.1 ± 5.7 cm; weight: 70.8 ± 8.0 kg; peak oxygen consumption [V˙O2peak] 54.1 ± 4.3 mL/kg/min) were administrated by AG extract (1.6 g/day) or placebo (P) for 28 days and subsequently challenged by downhill (DH) running (−10% gradient and 60% V˙O2peak). The levels of circulating 8-iso-prostaglandin F 2α (PGF2α), creatine kinase (CK), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-10, and TNF-α, and the graphic pain rating scale (GPRS) were measured before and after supplementation and DH running. The results showed that the increases in plasma CK activity induced by DH running were eliminated by AG supplementation at 48 and 72 h after DH running. The level of plasma 8-iso-PGF2α was attenuated by AG supplementation immediately (p = 0.01 and r = 0.53), 2 h (p = 0.01 and r = 0.53) and 24 h (p = 0.028 and r = 0.45) after DH running compared with that by P supplementation. Moreover, our results showed an attenuation in the plasma IL-4 levels between AG and P supplementation before (p = 0.011 and r = 0.52) and 72 h (p = 0.028 and r = 0.45) following DH running. Our findings suggest that short-term supplementation with AG alleviates eccentric EIMD by decreasing lipid peroxidation and promoting inflammatory adaptation.

Contrasting actions of ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 on glucose tolerance in rats

Ginsenoside profile of Panax ginseng is changing with season and cultivated soil. Yet, dose-response relationship of main ginsenosides on metabolic measures has not been documented in vivo. Here, we examined glucose and insulin responses after an oral glucose challenge (0.5 g/kg body weight) at various doses (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg of body weight) under acute and chronic Rb1 and Rg1 supplemented conditions. The results show that Rb1 (0.01 and 0.1 mg/kg body weight) increased, whereas Rg1 (0.01 mg/kg body weight) decreased postprandial glucose levels compared with the Vehicle group (P < 0.05). This contrasting effect reduced as dose increased. Both Rb1 and Rg1 decreased the mitochondrial enzyme citrate synthase activity (P < 0.05) together with decreases in glycogen content in red gastrocnemius muscle and body temperature at low doses (P < 0.05), compared with the Vehicle group. These differences also diminished as dosage increases. For reliable ginseng research, dose standardization on Rg1 and Rb1 is essential based on their opposing action and peculiar dose-response relationship. Both major ginsenosides may influence dynamics of mitochondria turnover and alter muscle metabolism.

Deep Ocean Minerals Minimize Eccentric Exercise-Induced Inflammatory Response of Rat Skeletal Muscle

Background: We have previously shown an accelerated recovery from muscle fatigue in men challenged by prolonged exercise after oral deep ocean minerals (DOM) supplementation. Here, we hypothesized a decrease in eccentric exercise-induced muscle inflammation in rats regularly consuming DOM-containing drinks (hardness 600 mg/L and fructose 11%).

Methods: Forty-seven male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into 4 groups: Control (C, N = 12), Fructose (F, N = 12), Fructose+Exercise (FE, N = 12), and Fructose+Exercise+DOM (FED, N = 11). Since fructose is a commonly used ingredient in beverages, 11% of fructose was added as a vehicle of the study. Soleus muscles of rats were analyzed 24 h after an acute bout of downhill running following 9 weeks of DOM supplementation.

Results: Leukocyte infiltration and TNF-α mRNA of muscle in the FE group were 5 times and 4 times greater the F group, respectively, (P < 0.05). Both markers in the FED group were significantly lower than those in the FE group (P < 0.05). IL-10 mRNA of muscle in the F group was >eight fold greater than the C group (P < 0.05). The reduced glutathione (GSH) of muscle in the F group was 34% lower than that in the C group (P < 0.05). However, GSH levels were similar for the C and FED groups.

Conclusion: Prolonged fructose supplementation modulates inflammatory balance of rat skeletal muscle. The results of the study suggest that DOM can minimize eccentric exercise-induced inflammatory cytokine responses in rat skeletal muscle.