ANABOLIC EFFECTS OF TU-CHUNG EXTRACT / 体力科学

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the effect of Tu-Chung (<I>Eucommia ulmoides</I> OLIV.) extract on anabolic action in castrated exercise and non-exercise rats in which the effects of male sex hormone from the testis were excluded. Castration was performed on 32 male Wistar rats aged 4 weeks. The rats were then divided into 4 groups a non-exercise group treated with Tu-Chung extract (non Ex. Tu-chung G, n = 8), on exercise group treated with the extract (Ex. Tu-Chung G, n = 8), a non-exercise control group not treated with the extract (non Ex. Cont. G, n8), = and an untreated exercise control group (Ex. Cont. G, n=8) .<BR>The Tu-Chung extract was administered orally at a dose of 1g/kg body weight once daily for 4 weeks. Distilled water was given by a similar method to the control groups. As the exercise load, the rats exercised on an animal treadmill at a starting speed of 20 m/min with an increase of 10 m/min every week for 30 min without rest daily for 4 weeks.<BR>The following results were obtained<BR>1. The relative weight of the adrenal gland (gland weight/100 g body weight ) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G or the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001 each) .<BR>2. The relative weight of the kidneys (kidney weight/100 g body weight) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and was slightly higher in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G.<BR>3. The relative weight of the musculus levator ani (muscle weight/100g body weight) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) .<BR>4. The 17-KS level in a 24h urine sample after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G or the Ex. Tu-Chung G (p<0.001 each) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) .<BR>5. The total urinary nitrogen level after 4 weeks was significantly lower in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) or the exercise group treated with the extract (p<0.05) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.05) .<BR>These results suggest that administration of Tu-Chung extract significantly increases the relative weight of the adrenal gland, enhances androgen secretion from the reticular layer of the adrenal cortex, and promotes protein anabolic action in castrated rats. In addition, this extract appears to increase the adaptation ability of the adrenal cortex to the stress caused by exercise.