title: Antistress and adaptogenic activity of lecithin supplementation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Investigation of lecithin administration in rats for its antistress and adaptogenic activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lecithin was administered orally (1 mg/g body weight) to rats 0.5 hour, 1.5 hours, 3.0 hours, and 6.0 hours prior to cold (5 degrees C)-hypoxia (428 mm Hg)-restraint (C-H-R) exposure and serum choline estimation. The rectal temperature (T(rec)) of the rats was monitored during the exposure and the recovery periods. The time for decrease of T(rec) to 23 degrees C and its recovery to 37 degrees C were used as indices of antistress and adaptogenic activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lecithin administration 3-6 hours prior to C-H-R exposure was found to have significant adaptogenic activity that correlated with increased serum choline levels. Lecithin administration prior to C-H-R exposure increased the stress tolerance of the rats by delaying the time for decrease of T(rec) to 23 degrees C during C-H-R exposure. It also helped shorten poststress recovery as observed by decreased time to attain T(rec) of 37 degrees C from C-H-R-induced hypothermia (T(rec), 23 degrees C).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggested that lecithin supplementation acted as an antistress and adaptogenic functional food. It improved resistance during C-H-R exposure and enhanced recovery from hypothermia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, Timapur, Delhi, India. rk_dipas@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ratan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Harish M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Divekar
authors.forename: Vanita
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Kaushal K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Srivastava
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002794:Choline / Q000097:blood; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D002794:Choline