The effects of Korean mistletoe extract on endurance during exercise in mice

Abstract

Many investigators have screened drugs and foods for the enhancement of endurance capacity and antifatigue. Mistletoe, a semiparasitic plant on various deciduous trees, has many known biological activities, including anticancer, anti-diabetes, antioxidant, and anti-cardiovascular disease effects. In a previous study, Korean mistletoe extract (KME) was reported to increase endurance capacity in mice. However, whether the administration of KME further enhances exercise performance, when combined with exercise training, was not investigated. In this study, we demonstrate that the administration of KME decreases the level of plasma lactate dehydrogenase, parameter of tissue damage and muscle fatigue when combined with exercise training. Exercise training increases the muscular glycogen and plasma free fatty acid (FFA) level, and KME administration in sedentary mouse group increases the plasma FFA level, indicating that KME administration alters the energy resources in muscle. In addition, KME administration enhances the exercise performance in sedentary mouse group, but did not further enhance exercise performance when combined with exercise training, suggesting that KME could be an excellent mimetic of exercise.

The Potential Role of Korean Mistletoe Extract as an Anti-Inflammatory Supplementation

“…Mistletoe extract stimulates the release of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha and sirtuin 1 in myoblasts, resulting in improved endurance by upregulating mRNA expression of genes associated with mitochondrial creation and function [ 24 ]. It has also been shown to increase expression of mitochondrial uncoupling protein-3 in a myoblast cell line, which activates adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) [ 31 ]. Another animal study on mistletoe extract supplement enhancement of endurance reported that administration of mistletoe extract for 12 weeks extended time to exhaustion on the treadmill by 2.5 times and swimming time by 212% and reduced postexercise lactate levels in the experimental group compared to the control group [ 24 ].…”

Anti-Fatigue and Antioxidant Activity of the Polysaccharides Isolated from Millettiae speciosae Champ. Leguminosae

“…The above mentioned blood LDH and CK are indirect indicators of cell damage [ 32 ]. In contrast, lipid peroxidation directly reflects the oxidative damage of cell membrane, which also contributes to the pathophysiology of fatigue [ 33 ].…”

Biological activity of mistletoe: in vitro and in vivo studies and mechanisms of action

“…Korean mistletoe treatment increased the expression of PGC-1α transcriptional targets, such as PGC-1β, NRF-1 (nuclear respiratory factor-1), ERRα (estrogen-related receptor α), Tfam (mitochondrial transcription factor A), PPARβ/δ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor β/δ), MB (myoglobin) and TNNI2 (troponin I) in C2C12 cells. Additionally, Korean mistletoe decreased levels of plasma lactate and lactate dehydrogenase, parameters of tissue damage and muscle fatigue in exhausted mice (Jung et al 2012;Lee et al 2014). Furthermore, exercise training increases the muscular glycogen and plasma free fatty acid (FFA) level, and Korean mistletoe administration increased the plasma FFA level, indicating that Korean mistletoe administration alters the energy resources in muscle (Lee et al 2014).…”

“…Additionally, Korean mistletoe decreased levels of plasma lactate and lactate dehydrogenase, parameters of tissue damage and muscle fatigue in exhausted mice (Jung et al 2012;Lee et al 2014). Furthermore, exercise training increases the muscular glycogen and plasma free fatty acid (FFA) level, and Korean mistletoe administration increased the plasma FFA level, indicating that Korean mistletoe administration alters the energy resources in muscle (Lee et al 2014).…”

“…It was determined that the administration of an aqueous extract of Korean mistletoe might enhance exercise performance in mice (Jung et al 2012(Jung et al , 2013Lee et al 2014) (Table 2). Jung et al (2012) showed that an increase in endurance capacity might be mediated by improvement of mitochondrial biogenesis (Fig.…”