Effects of cis-asarone anti excise-induced fatigue to free radical metabolism in skeletal muscle and brain tissue

Abstract

Objective Effects of cis-asarone from Acorus Tatarinowii Schott were investigated on anti excise-induced fatigue to free radicals metabolism in skeletal muscle and brain tissue of overtrained rats. Methods Fifty rats were divided into 5 groups: the control group, the cis-asarone group, the exercise group, the exercise plus cis-asarone group, the exercise plus caffeine group with ten rats in each group to study the effects of cis-asarone on fatigue-related symptoms, all-out time, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) levels of tissues including brain tissue and skeletal muscle of overtrained rats. Results After 3 weeks of experiment, the rats in the exercise group showed reduced activity, thinned fur, decreased appetite, while those symptoms significantly lessened in the rats of the exercise plus cis-asarone group and the exercise plus caffeine group. The all-out time of rats in the exercise plus cis-asarone group(82.53±11.40) min were significantly longer than those of the cis-asarone group (70.26±10.78 min), the exercise group(66.16±15.45 min)(P＜0.05),but they were significantly shorter than those of the exercise plus caffeine group (103.01±8.21 min) (P＜0.01).The SOD activity of the brain tissues (26.63±7.85) NU/mg and skeletal muscle (30.97±6.41) NU/mg in rats in the exercise group was significantly higher than that in the control group [(20.84±4.53)NU/mg and (24.21±3.74)NU/mg], the cis-asarone group [(32.64±8.35) NU/mg and (37.64±9.75) NU/mg], lower than the exercise plus cis-asarone group [(32.64±8.35) NU/mg and (37.64±9.75) NU/mgl(P＜0.05).But there is no significant difference between the exercise group and the exercise plus caffeine group [(27.47±5.22) NU/mg and (32.22±6.89) NU/mg](P＜0.05). The levels of MDA of the brain tissues (7.91±1.90) nmol/ml] and skeletal muscle [(9.61±2.11) nmol/ml]in rats in the exercise group was significantly higher than those in the control group [(2.73±1.13) nmol/ml and (3.89±1.35) nmol/mll, the cis-asarone group [(2.71±1.03) nmol/ml and (3.77±1.45) nmol/ml]and the exercise plus cis-asarone group [(5.23±2.01) nmol/ml and (6.17±1.57) nmol/mll (P＜0.05). But there is no significant difference between the exercise group and the exercise plus caffeine group [(8.05±2.29) nmol/ml and (8.01±1.45) nmol/ml](P＞0.05). The SOD activity of the brain tissues and skeletal muscle in rats in the exercise plus cis-asarone group was significantly higher than those of the other groups (P＜0.05), while the levels of MDA were opposite (P＜0.05). Conclusion Cis-asarone was found to have significant effects on retarding fatigue, improving performance through high SOD activity,facilitating free radicals removal, and thus protecting the tissues from free radical damage. Key words: Cis-asarone; Fatigue; Free radical; Exercise