Cordyceps sinensis promotes exercise endurance capacity of rats by activating skeletal muscle metabolic regulators

Ethnopharmacological relevanceCordyceps sinensis is a traditional Chinese medicine used for promotion of health, longevity and athletic power. However, the molecular mechanism for anti-fatigue activity and physical fitness has not yet been reported.Aim of the studyThe present study was conducted to evaluate the exercise endurance promoting activities of fungal traditional Chinese medicine (FTCM) Cordyceps sinensis cultured whole mycelium (CS) and the underlying mechanisms.Materials and methodsCS was orally supplemented (200 mg/kg body weight/day) to rats for 15 days with or without swimming exercise along with exercise and placebo groups.ResultsBoth CS supplementation and supplementation concurrent with exercise improved exercise endurance by 1.79- (P < 0.05) and 2.9-fold (P < 0.01) respectively as compared to placebo rats. CS supplementation concurrent with exercise also increased the swimming endurance by 1.32-fold (P < 0.05) over the exercise group. To study the molecular mechanism of the observed effect, we measured the expression levels of endurance responsive skeletal muscle metabolic regulators AMPK, PGC-1α and PPAR-δ as well as endurance promoting and antioxidant genes like MCT1, MCT4, GLUT4, VEGF, NRF-2, SOD1 and TRX in red gastrocnemius muscle. Our results indicate that CS supplementation significantly upregulates the skeletal muscle metabolic regulators, angiogenesis, better glucose and lactate uptake both in exercised and non-exercised rats. We have also observed increased expression of oxidative stress responsive transcription factor NRF-2 and its downstream targets SOD1 and TRX by CS supplementation.ConclusionCS supplementation with or without exercise improves exercise endurance capacity by activating the skeletal muscle metabolic regulators and a coordinated antioxidant response. Consequently, CS can be used as a potent natural exercise mimetic.

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