Isolation of antioxidant with exercise enhancing potential from Pseudosasa japonica leaves

Abstract

An antioxidative compound with effective exercise-enhancing potential was isolated from the ethanolic extract of Pseudosasa japonica leaves. The ethanolic extract was partitioned in the order of hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and water. Of the 4 fractions, the ethyl acetate-fraction (PJE-E) showed profound scavenging activity on superoxide anion- and ABTs cation radicals. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were conducted to isolate a compound with antioxidative activity on exercise endurance capacity from the PJE-E. The structure of the resulting compound was identified as ferulic acid by H-1/C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This ferulic acid was orally administered to mice for 18 days and its effect on exercise endurance capacity was investigated using an adjustablecurrent water pool. Compared to the control group, a 1.8 fold increase in swimming time was observed in the ferulic acid-administered mice. Results indicate that ferulic acid from P. japonica leaves might contribute to the potent exercise-enhancing effect.