Some aspects of the adaptogenic potential of European mistletoe (Viscum album L.) extracts under variable physical performance

Abstract

Background: Stress is an integral part of human life and leads to maladaptation of the organism and needs rational pharmacological correction. Objective: The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the adaptogenic potential of European mistletoe extracts. Methods: The work was performed on Balb/c mice. The test-objects were ethanol and aqueous extracts of European mistletoe (Viscum album L., Santalaceae) collected from pear and black poplar in dose 100 mg/kg (P.O.). Physical overloads were modeled in the forced swimming test. The analyzed parameters were: the duration of animals swimming, changes in the parameters of mitochondrial respiration, the concentration of ATP, activity of caspase-3, and apoptosis-inducing factor in the muscles and lactic acid in the blood serum of animals. The state of the pro / antioxidant system and acute toxicity of the test-extracts was also evaluated. Results: The study found that the LD50 of the test-extracts was more than 5000 mg/kg (P.O.). Ethanol extracts (40 and 70 %) with a single administration had the greatest impact on the physical strain of mice. In the course administration of 40 % ethanol mistletoe extracts the swimming time of mice was increased by 3.4 and 5.05 times (P < 0.05) from black poplar and pear, respectively. Also, the use of 40 % extracts contributed to the normalization of the pro/antioxidant balance, the restoration of the cell energy metabolism, and the decrease of the intensity of the apoptotic reactions. Conclusion: The study showed that the 40 % ethanol extracts from European mistletoe (host plants: pear and black poplar) potentially can be used as adaptogenic agents.