Crude polysaccharides from Radix pseudostellariae improves exercise endurance and decreases oxidative stress in forced swimming rats

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of crude polysaccharides from Radix pseudostellariae (CRP) on exercise endurance and oxidative stress in forced swimming rats. A total of forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of ten rats each: control group, low-dose CRP-treated group, middle-dose CRP-treated group and high-dose CRP-treated group. The control group received saline solution intragastrically (ig) and the treated groups received CRP (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body wt) ig daily for 28 days. After 28 days, the rats performed an exhaustive swimming exercise and exhaustive swimming times were recorded. Then various biochemical parameters, including blood lactate, hemoglobin, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. The results showed that CRP could elevate the exercise tolerance and decrease the blood lactate contents of rats after exhaustive swimming exercise. Meanwhile, CRP could augment the contents of hemoglobin and antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD and GSH-Px), effectively decrease the MDA contents in the skeletal muscle of rats, which suggested that CRP could improve exercise endurance and decrease oxidative stress in forced swimming rats.