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RESEARCH PAPER
ABSTRACT
Revised: 22.9.2001
Accepted: 20.10.2001
Objective: To investigate the effect of the antifatigue agent, Trichopus zeylanicus leaf (alcohol extract)
on energy metabolism in mice during exercise and at rest.
Methods: Trichopus zeylanicus leaf (alcohol extract) was orally administered to male adult mice. One
hour after the extract administration (25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg), plasma glucose level was determined
or subjected to swimming performance test. The effects of an optimum dose (100 mg/kg) of the extract
on plasma glucose, free fatty acids (FFA), pyruvic acid (PA) and lactic acid (LA) levels were determined
at rest (1 hr after drug administration) and after swimming exercise for 45 and 90 min.
Results: The alcohol extract of Trichopus zeylanicus leaf (100 mg/kg) decreased plasma glucose levels
(1 hr after the administration) and increased the swimming performance of mice which was maximum at
100 mg/kg. At a dose of 100 mg/kg, the extract decreased plasma glucose levels and increased the
levels of FFA without significant changes in the levels of PA and LA in the resting mice. In contrast, after
exercise for 90 min, glucose level was found to be higher whereas the levels of FFA, LA and PA were
found to decrease compared to control.
Conclusion: T. zeylanicus leaf (alcohol extract) influences fuel metabolism in mice at rest as well as
during exercise. It stimulates utilization of fatty acids during exercise.
KEY WORDS
Fatigue
glucose
INTRODUCTION
During the ethnopharmacological investigation on the
Agasthiar Hills of Kerala, India, Pushpangadan and
co-workers discovered the medicinal value of
Trichopus zeylanicus Gaertn., popularly known as
Arogyapacha meaning a plant which gives health and
vitality. The fruit of this plant is consumed by Kani
tribes for getting instant stamina, better health and
amelioration of old age related disorders1. Earlier
studies from this laboratory on T. zeylanicus showed
several pharmacological activities such as enhancement in swimming performance2, choleretic activity,
hepatoprotection3, aphrodisiac property4 and mast
cell stabilizing activity5.
The leaf powder of T. zeylanicus in the form of an
aqueous suspension or its alcoholic extract has been
Correspondence: A. Subramoniam
e-mail: asubramoniam@yahoo.com
lactic acid
pyruvic acid
33
quickly taken out, blotted using tissue paper and sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia. The blood was
collected by decapitation in heparinized, chilled tubes
and quickly placed under ice cold condition. Plasma
was separated by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 10
min in cold centrifuge and kept in deep freezer at
-30oC until use. Mice at rest were sacrificed at 60
min after administration of T. zeylanicus extract or
5% Tween 80 (control) and blood was colleted;
plasma was separated as above.
Biochemical estimations: Plasma glucose was estimated enzymatically using a commercial assay kit
(Monozyme, India Ltd.) 10 L of plasma was used
for each assay. FFA was estimated spectrophotometrically6 and LA was estimated as described by
Barker7. PA, being an unstable molecule, was estimated by directly applying known volume of the
heparinized blood in chilled trichloroacetic acid (TCA,
10%) as described by Theodore and Friendman8.
34
T. zeylanicus extract
(mg/kg)
Glucose
(mM/L)
Swimming
period (min)
Control (0)
8.0 + .36
139 + 15
25
7.6 + .34
160 + 20
50
7.5 + .41
148 + 14
100
5.4 + .22*
248 + 19*
200
4.6 + .20*
208 + 22
F=7.1
F=55
df= 4, 25
df=4, 25
P<.01
P<.01
In one set of experiment, blood samples were collected for glucose determination 1 h after drug administration. In another set
of experiments, 1 h after drug administration animals were subjected to swimming exercise (details under materials and
methods).
Values are mean+SD; n=6 in each group,
*P<0.01 Vs control (Dunnett's test).
35
Figure 1. Concentrations of plasma glucose, free fatty acid and lactic acid; and concentration of blood pyruvic acid in control and
Trichopus zeylanicus (leaf extract) treated mice at rest and after 45 and 90 min of exercise. Values are meanS D. n=12 in
each group, *significantly different (P<0.01) when compared to respective control.
- T. zeyianicus
- Control
12
4
10
8
6
4
2
3
2 .5
2
1 .5
1
0 .5
45 min
Rest
90 min
Exercise
45 min
Rest
90 min
Exercise
1 .2
0 .9
0 .8
0 .7
0 .6
0 .5
0 .4
0 .3
0 .2
Glucose (mM/L)
3 .5
1
0 .8
0 .6
0 .4
0 .2
0 .1
0
45 min
Rest
90 min
Exercise
45 min
Rest
90 min
Exercise
36
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Theodore E, Friendman ET. Determinations of lactic acids, Methods in Enzymology. Vol. 3. London: Academic
Press; 1956. p. 414-6.
9.
37
10.
14.
Felig P, Wahren J. Role of plasma free fatty acids in energy metabolism. New England J Med 1976;293:1078-81.
11.
Lehninger AL. Bioquimica. editor, Omega SA. 2d ed. Barcelona; 1978. p. 777.
15.
Newsholme EA, Start C. Regulation in metabolism. London: John/ Wiley and sons; 1976. p. 234.
12.
16.
13.
17.
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2. Language(s) in which it is
(to be published)
.....
English
3. Place of publication
.....
Department of Pharmacology,
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate
Medical Education and Research (JIPMER),
Pondicherry-605 006.
.....
5. Publisher's Name
Nationality
Address
.....
.....
.....
Dr. R. Raveendran
Indian
Department of Pharmacology, JIPMER, Pondicherry-605 006.
6. Printer's Name
Nationality
Address
.....
.....
.....
7. Editor's Name
Nationality
Address
.....
.....
.....
Dr. R. Raveendran
Indian
Department of Pharmacology, JIPMER, Pondicherry-605 006.
.....
I, R. Raveendran, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best my knowledge and belief.