Anti-fatigue effect of aqueous extract of Hechong (Tylorrhynchus heterochaetus) via AMPK linked pathway.

Abstract Tylorrhynchus heterochaetus (Hechong in Chinese) has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for treating various diseases. This study was aimed to assess the anti-fatigue effect of T. heterochaetus on Kunming mice and its primary mechanism of action using forced running, rotating rod and weight-loaded swimming tests. Low (2.70 mg/0.5 mL/20 g), medium (5.41 mg/0.5 mL/20 g) and high (6.58 mg/0.5 mL/20 g) doses of T. heterochaetus aqueous extract were treated to mice for 28 days. Among the doses, the low and medium doses showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) anti-fatigue effect on the weight-loaded swimming test. Also, T. heterochaetus extract showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) effects on fatigue-related blood parameters by increasing the GLU, TG and LDH levels and decreasing the LA, CK and BUN levels. The levels of liver and skeletal muscle glycogen were also significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased after treatment. Further, on Western blot analysis, it has been found that T. heterochaetus enhanced the expressions of AMPK and PGC-1α in the liver and skeletal muscles of mice. From the study, our outcomes suggest that T. heterochaetus possess an anti-fatigue effect through the AMPK-linked pathway and thereby it can regularize the energy metabolism.