Effects of Astragaloside IV on Damage and Cell Apoptosis of Skeletal Muscle Induced by Exhaustive Exercise in Rats

PurposeTo study the effect of astragaloside IV on damage and cell apoptosis of skeletal muscle in rats induced by exhaustive exercise.

MethodForty SD rats were randomly divided into a quiet control group, an exhaustive exercise group, and astragaloside IV 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg groups. Except for the quiet control rats, the exhaustive exercise model was established by running training, rats in the astragaloside IV groups were given drug intervention.

ResultsCompared with the quiet control group, the activities of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK), the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), and the expression levels of skeletal muscle cell apoptosis rate, Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) and caspase-3 mRNA were extremely significantly increased in exhaustive exercise group (P<0.01), the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), the expression levels of B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) mRNA, and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase p85 (PI3Kp85), phosphorylate protein kinase B (p-Akt) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein were extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01); compared with the exhausted exercise group, the activities of LDH and CK, the content of MDA, the expression levels of skeletal muscle cell apoptosis rate, and Bax and caspase-3 mRNA were significantly or extremely significantly decreased in the 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg astragaloside IV groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the activities of CAT and SOD, the expression levels of Bcl-2 mRNA, and PI3Kp85, p-Akt and mTOR protein were significantly or extremely significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

ConclusionAstragaloside IV has a protective effect on skeletal muscle injury induced by exhaustive exercise in rats, which is related to inhibiting oxidative stress and inhibiting skeletal muscle cell apoptosis by activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.