Abstract

The present study aimed to determine whether Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) could limit oxidative stress induced by swimming exercise. The mice were randomly assigned to four groups, that is, one normal control group and three LBP treatment groups. LBP treatment groups (I, II and III) were administered with three different doses of LBP: 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg/day by gavage for 30 days. The normal control group was given vehicle alone by oral gavage for 30 days. At the end of the 30 days treatment, forced-swimming test was performed and mean swim-to-exhaustion time of mice was immediately recorded. Then, the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) of gastrocnemius muscle were determined. The results showed that LBP prolonged exhaustive swim time and improved exercise tolerance. Meanwhile, LBP promote increases in the activities of main antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GPx) and attenuated MDA increase. This suggests that supplementation of L. barbarumpolysaccharides protects skeletal muscle from exercise-induced oxidant stress in mice.

Key words: Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, exercise, oxidant stress, mice.