Effects of Anoectochilus formosanus on Endurance Capacity in Mice

Abstract

The present study was designed to determine the effects of Anoectochilus formosanus extract (AFE) on endurance capacity in mice. Four wk-old male mice were given either a vehicle (distilled water) or AFE (500, 1, 000mg/kg) through stomach intubations for 4wk. Mice were made to perform swimming exercises with weights attached to their tails corresponding to 10% of their body weight. Endurance capacity was evaluated by swim-ming time to exhaustion. The group treated with 1, 000mg/kg AFE showed a significant improvement (p<0.05) in endurance performance time. The mice were made to swim for 15min with loads corresponding to 5% of their body weight. In the 1, 000mg/kg body weight of AFE administration group, blood lactate concentration was significantly lower than in the control group. In the AFE administration group, the plasma non-esterfied fatty acid (NEFA) was significantly increased by swimming exercise. AFE treatment also signifi-cantly decreased fat accumulation. Liver and gastrocnemius muscle glycogen after 15min of swimming remained at significantly higher levels in the mice fed 1, 000mg/kg of AFE as compared to the control group. These results suggest that AFE activated utilization of lipid more than glucose as the energy source for performance.