Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Polysaccharides from Portulaca oleracea L Improve Exercise Endurance and Decrease Oxidative Stress in Forced Swimming Mice

Chen Xiang¹ , Lan Zhang², Zheng Xiaowei³, Lou Xiaojuan⁴

¹Physical Education College, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035; ²Department of Physical Education, Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages, Shaoxing, 312000; ³Department of Physical Education and Military Training, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014; ⁴Physical Education College, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China.

For correspondence:- Chen Xiang Email: tyxycx@gmail.com Tel:+8613868551014

Received: 26 December 2012 Accepted: 5 January 2014 Published: 20 February 2014

Citation: Xiang C, Zhang L, Xiaowei Z, Xiaojuan L. Polysaccharides from Portulaca oleracea L Improve Exercise Endurance and Decrease Oxidative Stress in Forced Swimming Mice. Trop J Pharm Res 2014; 13(2):229-234 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v13i2.10

© 2014 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To explore the effects of polysaccharides from Portulaca oleracea L. (POP) on exercise endurance and oxidative stress in forced-swimming mice.

Methods: Forty-eight mice were divided into four groups of twelve animals each. All treatments were administered orally and daily for 28 days. Group A received isotonic saline solution (50 ml/kg bodyweight) as control group; B, C and D groups received 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body wt. of POP as treatment groups, respectively. After the final treatment with POP, the mice were subjected to swimming to exhaustion and the exhaustive swimming time, blood lactic acid (BLA), blood glucose, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) were measured.

Results: The exhaustive swimming time of the POP-treated groups (967.3 ± 79.2, 1234.8 ± 97.6 and 1314.3 ± 107.3 s) was significantly longer than that of the control group (513.6 ± 41.2 s) (p < 0.05). After the exhaustive swimming exercise, BLA levels of the POP-treated groups (8.63 ± 0.91, 8.04 ± 0.86 and 7.51 ± 0.78 mmol/L) were significantly lower than that of the control group (11.39 ± 1.17 mmol/L) (p < 0.05). MDA levels of the POP-treated groups (2.69 ± 0.21, 2.41 ± 0.17 and 2.37 ± 0.23 U/mg.pro) were significantly lower than that of the control group (3.21 ± 0.29 U/mg.pro) (p < 0.05). On the other hand, blood glucose levels of the POP-treated groups (5.47 ± 0.48, 5.74 ± 0.57 and 6.04 ± 0.51 mmol/L) were significantly higher than that of the control group (4.89 ± 0.32 mmol/L) (p < 0.05). SOD levels of the POP-treated groups (124.36 ± 14.87, 136.39±13.48 and 145.87 ± 17.39 U/mg.pro) were significantly higher than that of the control group (108.41 ± 11.63 U/mg.pro) (p < 0.05). GPx levels of the POP-treated groups (68.24 ± 4.68, 71.33 ± 5.29 and 72.64 ± 5.99 U/mg.pro) were significantly higher than that of the control group (53.17 ± 5.24 U/mg.pro) (p < 0.05). CAT levels of the POP-treated groups (23.57 ± 1.71, 24.28 ± 2.14 and 26.72 ± 2.21 U/mg.pro) were significantly higher than that of the control group (19.48 ± 2.03 U/mg.pro) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study provides compelling evidence that POP can improve exercise endurance and decrease oxidative stress in forced swimming mice.

Keywords: Polysaccharides, Portulaca oleracea L., Oxidative stress, Swimming, Exercise endurance