Bone Density and Mechanical Properties in Femoral Bone of Swim Loaded Aged Mice

Effects of swirnming on bone density and mechanical properties of femur were investigated in aged male and female mice. R/1 strain of senescence accelerated mouse (SAM) at eleven months old was used. Two groups of males and two groups of females each consisting of 7 mice were used. One male and one female groups were loaded with a swim regiment of 40 min a day, 5 days a week for 6 consecutive weeks. The remaining groups were used as the controls. All mice were fed with the standard diet and water ad libitum during the experiments.The results of this study indicated that (i) the hady weight was significantly (P<0.05) lower in the swimming groups than in the control groups in boh sexes. (ii) The bone density was significantly higher (P <0.05) in the swimming groups than in the control groups in boh sexes. However, there was no sighficant difference in cortical thickness index. (iii) In the mechanical properties of bone, there were no significant differences in the level of the maximum breaking force, the ultimate stress and the deformation between the swimndng and the contro groups in beth sexes. However, the elasticity of the bone of the female hoce in the swimming group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the control group.These results suggest that regimented swimming for the aged mice might suppress age-associated bone loss, and the effect of exercise in the females is greater that in the males.

Anti-fatigue Effect of Renshen Yangrong Decoction(人参养荣汤) in Mice

Objective： To explore the anti-fatigue effect of Renshen Yangrong Decoction （人参养荣汤 RYD） in mice. Methods： One hundred Kunming mice were randomly divided into 5 groups with 20 mice in each group. The negative control group was treated with distilled water, the positive control group was treated with Shiyiwei Shenqi Tablet （十一味参芪片 1.0 g/kg）, the high-, medium- and low-dose RYD groups were treated with 42.0, 21.0 and 10.5 g/kg of RYD daily, respectively, by gastric infusion. At the end of the 7-day treatment, loaded swimming time, organ wet weight and coefficient, serum glucose, urea nitrogen, and hepatic glycogen levels were determined. The outcomes were compared among groups. Results： As compared with the negative control group, the loaded swimming time was significantly increased in the positive control group, specifically the medium- and high-dose RYD groups （P〈0.01）. In addition, the wet weights and coefficients of the spleen and thymus, and the serum glucose and hepatic glycogen contents were increased, whereas serum urea nitrogen level was significantly decreased in the positive control group and the high dose RYD group （P〈0.05 or P=〈0.01）. Conclusion： RYD showed an anti-fatigue effect in mice.