title: Protective effects of the roots of Angelica sinensis on strenuous exercise-induced sports anemia in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sports anemia is a persistent and severe problem in athletes owing to strenuous exercise-induced oxidative stress and hepcidin upregulation. The roots of Angelica sinensis (AS), a familiar traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for replenishing blood since antiquity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of ethanolic AS extract in a 4-week study on sports anemia in female Wistar rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  To induce anemia, a strenuous exercise protocol consisting of running and swimming was employed with increasing intensity. Animals were randomly assigned to the following groups: control group; strenuous exercise group; and strenuous exercise and AS extract-treated group (300mgkg-1d-1). After 4 weeks, rats underwent exhaustive swimming and forelimb grip strength test. The blood biochemical markers and hepatic antioxidant activities were determined. Hepatic interleukin-6 and muscle glycogen were observed through immunohistochemical and Periodic acid-Schiff staining, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AS extract (consisting of ferulic acid, Z-ligustilide, and n-butylidenephthalide) treatment improved forelimb grip strength and rescued exercise-induced anemia by significantly elevating the red blood cell counts and hemoglobin concentrations as well as hematocrit levels (p<0.05). AS modulated the iron metabolism through decreasing serum hepcidin-25 concentrations by 33.0% (p<0.05) and increasing serum iron levels by 34.3% (p<0.01). The hepatic injury marker serum alanine aminotransferase concentrations were also reduced, followed by increased antioxidant enzyme catalase expression in the liver (p<0.05). Furthermore, substantial attenuation of hepatic interleukin-6 expression and preservation of muscle glycogen content suggested the additional roles of AS acting on sports anemia and physical performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings evidenced a novel and promising therapeutic approach for AS treatment for rescuing the anemic condition induced following 4 weeks of strenuous exercise.
authors: School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Rd, Sanmin Dist., Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan. Electronic address: wxes9050304@gmail.com.
authors: Chih-Wei
authors: CW
authors: Chang
authors: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, 250, Wen-Hua 1st Rd, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan.
authors: Yi-Ming
authors: YM
authors: Chen
authors: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, 250, Wen-Hua 1st Rd, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan.
authors: Yi-Ju
authors: YJ
authors: Hsu
authors: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, 250, Wen-Hua 1st Rd, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan.
authors: Chi-Chang
authors: CC
authors: Huang
authors: School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Rd, Sanmin Dist., Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan. Electronic address: ytwu@kmu.edu.tw.
authors: Yu-Tse
authors: YT
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Sports Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Rd, Sanmin Dist., Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan. Electronic address: meichich@gmail.com.
authors: Mei-Chich
authors: MC
authors: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D029971:Angelica sinensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002374:Catalase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Angelica sinensis; Blood; Hemolysis; Hepcidin; Iron deficiency; Oxidative stress; Z-ligustilide (PubChem CID: 5319022); ferulic acid (PubChem CID: 445858); n-butylidenephthalide (PubChem CID: 642376)