Effects and Mechanism of Cuscuta chinensis Polysaccharides on Improving Motor Ability in Rats Based on AMPK/PGC-1α Signaling Pathway

Purpose To study the effects and potential mechanism of Cuscuta chinensis polysaccharides (CCPs) on improving motor ability in rats, based on adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK)/peroxisome proliferator activator receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) signaling pathway.

Methods Fifty rats were divided into normal control (NC) group, exercise model (EM) group and CCPs low-dose (CCPs-L), medium-dose (CCPs-M) and high-dose (CCPs-H) groups (10, 200 and 400 mg/kg). Except NC group, all rats in the other groups needed swimming training. After swimming to exhaustion, the anti-fatigue indexes in serum, the indexes of energy metabolism and oxidative stress in liver tissue, the mRNA expression levels of AMPKα and PGC-1α, and the protein expression levels of phosphorylated AMPKα (p-AMPKα), AMPKα and PGC-1α were measured.

Results Compared with EM group, swimming exhaustion time of CCPs groups was significantly or extremely significantly prolonged; the contents of blood urea nitrogen, lactic acid and corticosterone in serum and malondialdehyde in liver tissue were extremely significantly decreased; the contents of serum testosterone and liver glycogen, and the activities of Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase, Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase, superoxide dismutase and glutathion peroxidase in liver tissue were significantly increased; the mRNA and protein levels of AMPKα in liver tissue had no significant changes, but the mRNA level of PGC-1α and protein levels of p-AMPKα and PGC-1α were extremely significantly increased.

Conclusion CCPs can improve the exercise ability of rats trained with high intensity, which is related to anti-fatigue, increasing energy reserves, inhibiting oxidative stress and activating AMPK/PGC-1α signaling pathway.