COMPOSITION FOR RECOVERY FROM FATIGUE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition for fatigue prevention, recovery, or treatment.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A method for prevention or treatment of fatigue or recovery from fatigue comprising: administering, to a subject, a composition comprising an extract from at least one selected from the group consisting of Cynanchi Wilfordii Radix, Phlomis umbrosa TURCZ., and angelica.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the fatigue is central nervous system fatigue, nerve-muscular joint fatigue, or peripheral fatigue of the limbs.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the fatigue is accompanied by decreased exercise performance, chronic fatigue, sleep disorder, mental concentration disorder, muscle pain, arthralgia, headache, sore throat, or lymphadenitis.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the extract is a crude extract obtained by extraction with at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of water and a straight or branched alcohol of 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the process of exhaustive swimming test according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0065] FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating the influence of the exhaustive swimming test on myokinetics according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] FIG. 3 is a graph of glycogen contents in tissues as measured according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] FIG. 4 is a graph of lactate dehydrogenase levels in tissues as measured according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0068] FIG. 5a is a graph of PPAR-γ levels as measured by RT-PCR according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] FIG. 5b is a graph of UCP-3 levels as measured by RT-PCR according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0070] FIG. 6 is a graph of activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione S-transferase as measured according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0071] FIG. 7a is a graph of glutathione levels as measured according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] FIG. 7b is a graph of malondialdehyde levels as measured according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0073] The present disclosure relates to a food composition including an extract from at least one selected from the group consisting of Cynanchi Wilfordii Radix, Phlomis umbrosa TURCZ., and angelica for prevention of or recovery from fatigue.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0074] A better understanding of the present disclosure may be obtained through the following examples which are set forth to illustrate, but are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

Example 1. Preparation of Crude Exact

[0075] The natural herbal materials Cynanchum wilfordii roots, Phlomis umbrosa roots, and Angelica gigas roots were mixed at a weight ratio of 1:1:1.08 and subjected to extraction by heating in 10 volumes of water at 95 to 105° C. for 8 hours. Following filtration, the filtrate thus obtained was lyophilized at -80° C. to afford a crude extract as a powder.

Experimental Example 1. Design of Exhaustive Swimming Test Model for Evaluating Degree of Recovery from Fatigue

[0076] To assay a degree of recovery from fatigue, an exhaustive swimming test, which is a modification of the loaded forced swimming test of Moriura T. et al., was carried out.

[0077] An acrylic-based transparent plastic pool (90×45×45 cm.sup.3) was filled up to 38 cm in height with distilled water. A pump was used to create a one-way flow of 7.5 L/min and the temperature was maintained at 34±1° C.

[0078] Five-week-old male ICR mice were purchased and acclimatized in the animal room for a week under a certain condition, then acclimatized to the swimming test once a day from three days prior to the experiment until completion of swimming tests (the time point when the noses of the mice were immersed below the surface of water for 5 seconds).

[0079] One hour before the experiment, control mice received an AIN-93M diet-based isocaloric diet with either saline (control) while experimental groups were given the composition of the Example at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day or 200 mg/kg/day. The experiment was carried out until completion of swimming (the time point when the noses of the mice were immersed below the surface of water for 5 seconds).

[0080] As shown in FIG. 1, the exhaustive swimming test was repeated for two weeks. After termination of the exhaustive swimming test on day 14, examination was made of myokinetics during the exhaustive swimming test and the results are summarized in Table 1 and depicted in FIG. 2.

TABLE-US-00001 Swimming time (min) Day 0 Day 14 Control 23.46±2.08 22.43±2.15 Ex. 1 50 mg/kg 22.17±3.11 24.27±2.51 Ex. 2 200 mg/kg 22.06±2.46 25.36±3.24

[0081] As can be seen in FIG. 2, on day 0, the day before treatment, bias caused by mice was minimized by setting the baseline values for reference in further experiments, with the aim of comparatively observing changes during the intake of candidate materials. The swimming time was similar between the control group and the example intake groups. As a result of the measurement on Day 14 after 14 days of experimentation, it was confirmed that there was no change in the swimming time of Day 0 and Day 14 in the control group.

[0082] On the other hand, the experimental group ingesting 50 mg/kg of the extract of the Example increased in the swimming time by about 1.09 times when Day 0 and Day 14 were compared. In addition, for the group ingesting 200 mg/kg of the extract of the Example, the swimming time was increased by about 1.15 times when Day 0 and Day 14 were compared. These data demonstrated that the swimming time was increased in a dose-dependent manner.

Experimental Example 2. Evaluation of Intramuscular Glycogen Level and Lactate Dehydrogenase Activity

[0083] The exhaustive swimming test mouse models were examined for recovery from fatigue by analyzing their muscle tissues and sera after administration of the control and the extract of the Example for two weeks. After two weeks of the exhaustive swimming test, the mice were sacrificed and muscles were excised from the mice. Intramuscular glycogen levels and blood lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, which both account for muscle fatigue, were measured.

[0084] Intramuscular glycogen levels and blood LHD levels were measured by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) and the measurements are summarized in Table 2 and depicted in FIG. 3 for glycogen levels and in FIG. 4 for LHD levels.

TABLE-US-00002 Diet Glycogen (mg/g) LHD (U/L) Exhaustive swimming test for 2 weeks Control 0.26±0.04 3.420±275 Example 50 mg/kg 0.24±0.06 2.651±194 * Example 200 mg/kg 0.32±0.03 * 2.434±207 * Comparative control with statistical significance *: p<0.05

[0085] As shown in FIG. 3, the glycogen content in the muscle showed similar values between the control group and the Example 50 mg/kg administration group. On the other hand, the glycogen concentration in the group administered 200 mg/kg of the Example increased by about 1.23 times, compared to the control group, indicating a statistically significant increase.

[0086] In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, when comparison was made of the control and the Example groups after two weeks of the exhaustive swimming test, LDH levels showed a significant decrease in both groups in which the examples were administered at low concentration (50 mg/kg) and high concentration (200 mg/kg). In particular, the LDH levels were decreased in a dose-dependent manner by 0.77 times for the 50 mg/kg-administered group and by about 0.71 times for the 200 mg/kg-administered group, compared to the control.

Experimental Example 3. Evaluation of Expression of Regulatory Factors Involved in Recovery from Exercise Fatigue

[0087] The exhaustive swimming test mouse models were examined for recovery from exercise fatigue by analyzing their muscle tissues for expression of PPAR-γ and UCP-3, which are involved in recovery from exercise fatigue after administration of the control and the extract of the Example for two weeks. mRNA was extracted from muscular tissues and measured for expression levels of PPAR-γ and UCP-3 genes by RT-PCR. Measurements are summarized in Table 3 and depicted in FIG. 5a for PPAR-γ gene expression and in FIG. 5b for UCP-3 gene expression.

TABLE-US-00003 PPAR-γ UCP-3 Control 1.00±0.12 1.00±0.11 Example 50 mg/kg 1.24±0.09 * 1.29±0.15 * Example 200 mg/kg 1.45±0.14 * 1.36±0.10 * Comparative control with statistical significance *: p<0.05

[0088] As shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, the expression of PPAR-γ and UCP-3 in muscle tissue showed a significant increase, compared to the control group, at all concentrations of the Example extract administered. In particular, the PPAR-γ expression level was about 1.24 and 1.45 times higher in the groups to which 50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of the Example were administered, respectively, compared to the control group. In addition, the UCP-3 expression level was about 1.29 times and 1.36 times higher in the groups to which 50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of the Example were administered, respectively, compared to the control group. These data indicated that the extract of the Example increased the expression levels of PPAR-γ and UCP-3, which are regulatory factors involved in recovery from exercise fatigue, in a dose-dependent manner.

Experimental Example 4. Effect on Antioxidant Enzyme Activity In Vivo

[0089] After two weeks of the exhaustive swimming test as in Experimental Example 1, the effect of the extract of the Example on antioxidant enzyme activity was examined. In this regard, the liver tissues from the exhaustive swimming test mouse model were measured for activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione S-transferase (GST), and the results are summarized in Table 4 and depicted in FIG. 6.

TABLE-US-00004 CAT(U/mg protein) SOD (U/mg protein) GST (U/mg protein) Control 15.28±1.21 14.12±0.94 38.41±3.03 Example 50 mg/kg 17.54±0.78 * 20.31±1.98 * 42.36±2.12 * Example 200 mg/kg 22.18±1.54 * 23.40±1.73 * 46.24±3.25 * Comparative control with statistical significance *: p<0.05

[0090] As seen in Table 4 and FIG. 6, the 50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg administration groups of the extract of the Example showed significant increases in catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione S-transferase enzyme activities, compared to the control group. In particular, compared to the control group, catalase showed an increase of about 1.14 times and about 1.45 times in the 50 mg/kg- and 200 mg/kg administration groups of the extract of the Example. In the case of superoxide dismutase, the 50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg administration groups of the extract of the Example showed an increase of about 1.43 times and about 1.65 times, respectively, compared to the control group. Glutathione S-transferase levels increased by about 1.10 times in the 50 mg/kg group and by about 1.20 times in the 200 mg/kg group, compared to the control group. These data indicated that the extract of the Example increased activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione S-transferase, which are indicators of antioxidant enzyme activity in liver tissue in a dose-dependent manner.

Experimental Example 5. Assay for Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in Liver Tissue

[0091] After two weeks of the exhaustive swimming test as in Experimental Example 1, the effect of the extract of the Example on non-enzymatic antioxidant activity and lipid oxidation was examined. In this regard, the liver tissues from the exhaustive swimming test mouse model were measured for levels of the antioxidant material glutathione (GSH) and the tissue lipid oxidation intermediate malondialdehyde (MDA), and the results are summarized in Table 6 and depicted in FIGS. 7a and 7b.

TABLE-US-00005 GSH (.Math.moles/mg protein) MDA (moles/g tissue) Control 12.79±1.22 6.91±0.35 Example 50 mg/kg 13.10±0.98 5.48±0.17* Example 200 mg/kg 15.77±1.21* 4.34±0.12* Comparative control with statistical significance *: p<0.05

[0092] As shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, the level of glutathione, which exhibits non-enzymatic antioxidant activity in liver tissues, was increased in the Example extract administration group, compared to the control group. In particular, glutathione increased by about 1.02 times and about 1.23 times in the 50 mg/kg– and 200 mg/kg–administered groups, respectively, compared to the control group. In addition, the level of malondialdehyde, which is a mediator of the oxidation reaction, showed a significant decrease in all of the Example extract-administered groups, compared to the control group. The data demonstrated that the Example extract had excellent effects on antioxidant enzyme activity in liver tissues.

Industrial Applicability

[0093] The present disclosure relates to a composition for prevention or treatment of or recovery from fatigue.