Deer Antler Extract Improves Fatigue Effect through Altering the Expression of Genes Related to Muscle Strength in Skeletal Muscle of Mice.

Chien-Yun Hsiang,Tin-Yun Ho,Yung-Chang Lin,Jaw-Chyun Chen

doi:10.1155/2014/540580

Abstract

Deer antler is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine used in Asian countries for the tonic and the improvement of aging symptoms. The present study was designed to investigate the antifatigue effect and mechanism of Formosan sambar deer tip antler extract (FSDTAE). The swimming times to exhaustion of mice administered FSDTAE (8.2 mg/day) for 28 days were apparently longer than those of the vehicle-treated mice in forced swim test. However, the indicators of fatigue, such as the reduction in glucose level and the increases in blood urea nitrogen and lactic acid levels, were not significantly inhibited by FSDTAE. Therefore, microarray analysis was further used to examine the anti-fatigue mechanism of FSDTAE. We selected genes with fold changes >2 or <−2 in skeletal muscle for pathway analysis. FSDTAE-affected genes were involved in 9 different signaling pathways, such as GnRH signaling pathway and insulin signaling pathway. All of the significantly expressed genes were classified into 8 different categories by their functions. The most enriched category was muscular system, and 6 upregulated genes, such as troponin I, troponin T1, cysteine and glycine-rich protein 2, myosin heavy polypeptide 7, tropomyosin 2, and myomesin family member 3, were responsible for the development and contraction of muscle. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that FSDTAE increased troponins mRNA expression in skeletal muscle. In conclusion, our findings suggested that FSDTAE might increase the muscle strength through the upregulation of genes responsible for muscle contraction and consequently exhibited the anti-fatigue effect in mice.

Highlights

Deer antler has been used in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and health food about 2000 years
Our findings suggested that Formosan sambar deer tip antler extract (FSDTAE) might increase muscle strength through upregulation of the genes which are responsible for muscle contraction
In order to control the quality of FSDTAE, we investigated the expression and localization of proteins in periosteum and sponge bone of 3 parts of the deer antler by SDS-PAGE (Figure 1(a))

Summary

Introduction

Deer antler has been used in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and health food about 2000 years. Formosan sambar deer (Cervus unicolor swinhoei) and Formosan sika deer (Cervus nippon taiouanus) are the indigenous subspecies in Taiwan [9]. Their antler velvet has been steadily used as TCM and health food more than 400 years in Taiwan. Since 1963, Formosan sambar deer has been started to farming; Formosan sika deer populations is extinct in the wild around 1969. More than a half of deer antler source in the Taiwan TCM market is from Formosan sambar deer. In Taiwan, many laborers drink velvet wine for a long time to improve physical strength and reduce fatigue

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Discussion

Conclusion