Changbai Mountain Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Mey) Extract Supplementation Improves Exercise Performance and Energy Utilization and Decreases Fatigue-Associated Parameters in Mice

Abstract

Changbai Mountain Ginseng (CMG, Panax ginseng C.A. Mey) is a traditional medicine commonly found in Northeast China and grows at elevations of 2000 m or higher in the Changbai Mountain Range. CMG, considered to be a "buried treasure medicine", is priced higher than other types of ginseng. However, few studies have demonstrated the effects of CMG supplementation on exercise performance, physical fatigue, and the biochemical profile. The major compound of CMG extract was characterized by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Male ICR mice were divided into 3 groups, the vehicle, CMG-1X and CMG-5X groups (n = 8 per group), and respectively administered 0, 5, or 25 mg/kg/day of CMG extract orally for four weeks. HPLC-ESI-MS/MS results showed that the major compound in CMG extract is ginsenoside Ro. CMG extract significantly increased muscle weight and relative muscle weight (%). CMG extract supplementation dose-dependently increased grip strength (p < 0.0001) and endurance swimming time, decreased levels of serum lactate (p < 0.0001), ammonia (p < 0.0001), creatine kinase (CK, p = 0.0002), and blood urea nitrogen (p < 0.0001), and economized glucose levels (p < 0.0001) after acute exercise challenge. The glycogen in the gastrocnemius muscle was significantly increased with CMG extract treatment. Biochemical profile results showed that creatinine and triacylglycerol significantly decreased and total protein and glucose increased with CMG treatment. This is the first report that CMG extract supplementation increases muscle mass, improves exercise performance and energy utilization, and decreases fatigue-associated parameters in vivo. The major component of CMG extract is ginsenoside Ro, which could be a potential bioactive compound for use as an ergogenic aid ingredient by the food industry.

Keywords: Ro; anti-fatigue; exercise performance; ginsenoside; muscle mass.

Figure A1

The Bioactivities of Changbai Mountain Ginseng (CMG) Extract on Anti-Fatigue In Vivo.

Figure 1

Base peak HPLC-ESI-MS chromatogram of ginsenosides in CMG extract. Ginseng ginsenoside mix standard (a, upper panel); CMG extract (b, bottom panel).

Figure 2

Characterized CMG extract by HPLC-ESI-MS/MSn. HPLC-ESI-MS/MSn chromatogram of major ginsenoside in CMG extract (a); and the chemical structure of the major compound in CMG extract (b).

Figure 3

Percentage change with vehicle treatment of CMG (Changbai Mountain Ginseng) supplementation for four weeks on forelimb grip strength and swimming time. Mice were pretreated with vehicle, CMG-1X, or CMG-5X for four weeks before forelimb grip strength was tested. Asterisk (*), significant difference (p < 0.05) from vehicle group.

Figure 4

Percentage change with vehicle treatment of CMG supplementation on serum levels of lactate, ammonia, creatine kinase (CK) , glucose, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) after acute exercise challenge. Asterisk (*), significant difference (p < 0.05) from vehicle group.

Figure 5

Percentage change with vehicle treatment of CMG supplementation on glycogen levels in liver and muscle. Asterisk (*), significant difference (p < 0.05) from vehicle group.

Figure 6

Effect of CMG supplementation on morphology of liver (a); skeletal muscle (b); heart (c); lungs (d); kidney (e); and epididymal fat pad (f). Specimens were photographed by light microscopy. (H and E stain, magnification: (a–d), 200×, Scale bar, 40 µm; (e), 400×, Scale bar, 20 µm; (f), 100×, Scale bar, 80 µm).

Figure 6

Effect of CMG supplementation on morphology of liver (a); skeletal muscle (b); heart (c); lungs (d); kidney (e); and epididymal fat pad (f). Specimens were photographed by light microscopy. (H and E stain, magnification: (a–d), 200×, Scale bar, 40 µm; (e), 400×, Scale bar, 20 µm; (f), 100×, Scale bar, 80 µm).