Efficacy of verbascoside, echinacoside, crenatoside on altitude-induced fatigue in rats and possible mechanism.

Objective: To study the efficacy and mechanism of three phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) (verbascoside, echinacoside, and crenatoside) on altitude-induced fatigue in rats.

Methods: Altitude-induced fatigue model rats were established in a large hypobaric chamber. Swimming time, energy storage substances, metabolic enzymes, and metabolites were used to evaluate the anti-fatigue activities and mechanism of three PhGs (verbascoside, echinacoside, and crenatoside) (150 mg/kg, intragastric administration) in the hypoxic environment.

Results: The three PhGs, especially verbascoside, could prolong the swimming time of rats, ameliorate the edema and inflammatory infiltration of liver and skeletal muscle, increase the level of energy storage substances, reduce the decomposition of proteins, and exhibit positive effects on the metabolism-related enzyme activity and metabolites.

Conclusions: The PhGs, especially verbascoside, are very potential with anti-fatigue activity in hypoxia. The mechanism may be explained with regulation of energy metabolism and reduction of oxidative stress.