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Influence of Ginger and Cinnamon Intake on Inflammation and Muscle Soreness Endued by Exercise in Iranian Female Athletes

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Nafiseh Shokri-Mashhadi at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
Nafiseh Shokri-Mashhadi
Reza Ghiasvand at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
Reza Ghiasvand
Gholamreza Askari at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
Gholamreza Askari
Awat Feizi
Awat Feizi
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Abstract and Figures

Ginger rhizomes (rich in gingerols, shogaols, paradols and zingerone) have been used in Asia for the treatment of asthma, diabetes, and pain, and have shown potent anti-inflammatory attributes. Common spices such as Cinnamon (including cinnamic aldehyde and cinnamyl aldehydeis) are used in food and many studies have focused on its anti-inflammatory components. Intense exercise can result in an inflammatory response to cell damage and also muscle soreness. The efficacy of dietary ginger and cinnamon as anti-inflammatory agents and their effectiveness in reducing muscle soreness has been investigated in limited studies on humans. Therefore, we have studied the effects of dietary ginger and cinnamon on inflammation and muscle soreness in Iranian female taekwondo players. Sixty healthy, trained women, aged 13-25 years, were enrolled in the six-week investigation and randomly categorized into three groups (cinnamon, ginger or placebo) and received 3 g of ginger, cinnamon or placebo powder each day, depending on the group they belonged to. The IL-6 level and Likert Scale of Muscle Soreness were evaluated at the beginning and the end of the study and compared among the groups. Forty-nine of the participants completed the six-week intervention. There were no significant changes in the IL-6 cinnamon and ginger group when compared with the placebo group, whereas, there was a significant fall in muscle soreness in the cinnamon group and placebo (P < 0.1) and ginger group and placebo (P < 0.01). Administration of ginger and cinnamon in athlete women for six weeks did not show any significant change in the IL-6 level, but showed a decrease in muscle soreness in the cinnamon and ginger groups.
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Original Article
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International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 5th Iranian International Sports Medicine Congress, Vol 4, Feb Supplement 1, 2013
S 18
Inuence of Ginger and Cinnamon Intake on Inammation and Muscle Soreness
Endued by Exercise in Iranian Female Athletes
Naseh Shokri Mashhadi1,2, Reza Ghiasvand1,2, Gholamreza Askari1,2, Awat Feizi3, Mitra Hariri1,2,
Leila Darvishi1,2, Azam Barani4, Maryam Taghiyar1,2, Afshin Shiranian1,2, Maryam Hajishaee1,2
ABSTRACT
Background: Ginger rhizomes (rich in gingerols, shogaols, paradols
and zingerone) have been used in Asia for the treatment of asthma,
diabetes, and pain, and have shown potent anti‑inammatory attributes.
Common spices such as Cinnamon (including cinnamic aldehyde and
cinnamyl aldehydeis) are used in food and many studies have focused
on its anti‑inammatory components. Intense exercise can result in an
inammatory response to cell damage and also muscle soreness. The
efcacy of dietary ginger and cinnamon as anti‑inammatory agents and
their effectiveness in reducing muscle soreness has been investigated in
limited studies on humans. Therefore, we have studied the effects of
dietary ginger and cinnamon on inammation and muscle soreness in
Iranian female taekwondo players.
Methods: Sixty healthy, trained women, aged 13‑25 years, were
enrolled in the six‑week investigation and randomly categorized into
three groups (cinnamon, ginger or placebo) and received 3 g of ginger,
cinnamon or placebo powder each day, depending on the group they
belonged to. The IL‑6 level and Likert Scale of Muscle Soreness were
evaluated at the beginning and the end of the study and compared
among the groups.
Results: Forty‑nine of the participants completed the six‑week
intervention. There were no signicant changes in the IL‑6 cinnamon
and ginger group when compared with the placebo group, whereas,
there was a signicant fall in muscle soreness in the cinnamon group
and placebo (P<0.1) and ginger group and placebo (P<0.01).
Conclusions: Administration of ginger and cinnamon in athlete
women for six weeks did not show any signicant change in the IL‑6
level, but showed a decrease in muscle soreness in the cinnamon and
ginger groups.
Keywords: Athletes, cinnamon, ginger, inammation, muscle soreness
INTRODUCTION
Zingiber officinale—ginger—has been used in Asia and tropical
countries for the treatment of asthma, diabetes, nausea, and pain,
and it is classified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
1Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University
of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, 2Department
of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition
and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical
Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, 3Department of Biostatistics
and Epidemiology, School of Health, Isfahan
University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, 4Child
Growth and Development Research Center, Isfahan
University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Correspondence to:
Mrs. Leila Darvishi,
Food Security Research Center,
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences,
Isfahan, Iran.
E‑mail: Leilad_78@yahoo.com
Date of Submission: Aug 21, 2012
Date of Acceptance: Nov 09, 2013
How to cite this article: Mashhadi NS, Ghiasvand R,
Askari G, Feizi A, Hariri M, Darvishi L, et al. Inuence
of ginger and cinnamon intake on inammation and
muscle soreness endued by exercise in iranian female
athletes. Int J Prev Med 2013;4 (Suppl 1):S18-22.
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Mashhadi, et al.: consumption of ginger and cinnamon in athletes
S 19
International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 5th Iranian International Sports Medicine Congress, Vol 4, Feb Supplement 1, 2013
as a food additive.[1,2] Several constituents of
ginger, especially gingerols and shogaols, paradols,
and zingerone, have demonstrated potent
anti‑inflammatory properties in vitro, through the
inhibition of cyclooxygenase 1 and 2,[3‑5] blocking
of leukotriene synthesis,[6‑8] and decreasing the
cytokine gene TNF‑α and IL‑6 expression.[9] This
pharmacological property distinguishes ginger from
non‑steroidal anti‑inflammatory drugs.[6]
On the other hand, Cinnamon, the brown
bark of the cinnamon tree, is commonly used as
a spice and flavoring agent for the preparation of
many foods. It was used as a medicine for many
years, as well.[10,11] Many nutrients including
manganese, dietary fiber, iron, and calcium, occur
in cinnamon. Furthermore, it contains three major
compounds, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate,
and cinnamyl alcohol, too.[11,12] Several studies
show that the cinnamon extract treatment decreases
the mRNA expression of the inflammatory
factors [interleukin (IL) 1β, IL6, and TNF‑α],[13]
and it is able to promote pro‑inflammatory gene
expression in RAW macrophages,[14] Furthermore,
oral administration of the cinnamon extract
inhibited development and progression of
inflammation by inhibiting expression of COX‑2
and pro‑inflammatory cytokines (IL‑1β, IFN‑γ, and
TNF‑α), while enhancing IL‑10 levels.[15]
Strenuous Physical exercise can be regarded
as a model of physical stress. Many clinical
stressors (e.g., surgery, trauma, burn, sepsis)
induce a pattern of hormonal and immunological
responses that have a similarity to those of
exercise.[16] Several studies have demonstrated
increases in mRNA expression for inflammatory
cytokines following exercise,[17] as also an increase
in IL‑1 and TNF‑α production.[18,19] Functionally,
the cytokines play an important role in initiating
the inflammatory response to cell damage. This
has been the heightened study of the damage that
occurs in the early stages of exposure to eccentric
exercise and is commonly referred to as delayed
onset muscle soreness (DOMS).[20] Although
multiple practices exist for the treatment of
DOMS, few have scientific support. The suggested
treatments for DOMS are numerous and include
pharmaceuticals, herbal remedies, stretching,
massage, nutritional supplements, and many more,
but DOMS is particularly prevalent in resistance
training.[21]
Therefore, in this study, we investigated the
effects of 3 g of dietary ginger or cinnamon on
muscle soreness and the serum level of IL‑6.
METHODS
We conducted a randomized, double‑blind,
placebo‑controlled clinical study involving 60
apparently healthy, well‑trained, martial art
females (aged 13‑25 years), who had exercised
at least thrice weekly for three years. Following
a health‑screening questionnaire, all volunteers
provided a written, informed consent. The
Committee on Human Research at the University
of Isfahan approved the study protocol. Subject
eligibility was determined by a history and
physical examination. Exclusion criteria included
the existence of pathologies interfering with the
immune function (i.e., inflammatory diseases),
pregnancy or lactation, and participants who
avoided taking anti‑inflammatory medication,
therapies, and additional nutritional supplements
during the study. Blood samples were obtained
from all subjects 24 hours after specific resistance
exercise for the competitive season, a seven‑point
Likert scale of muscle soreness[22,23] was obtained
at 24‑hour intervals up to 46 hours post exercise at
the baseline and after intervention. The treatment
order was determined by an online randomization
program (http://www.randomization.com).
Participants consumed 3 g of ginger powder,
cinnamon powder or placebo per day with any
food, depending on their groups, for a duration of
eight weeks. The participants were strongly advised
to maintain regular dietary habits and avoid taking
additional protein or any supplements for the
duration of the study. In an attempt to control the
diet, the participants were asked to record their food
intake every two weeks of the trial, four times. The
serum IL‑6 levels were determined using the method
described by the Boste human IL‑6 ELISA kit.
Statistical analysis
The results are presented as a mean±standard
error. One‑way multivariate analysis of covariance
(MANCOVA) controlling was used for the
pre‑test differences, followed by Dennett’s post hoc
comparison for multiple comparisons between
the groups. Within group comparisons were done
using the paired samples t‑test. On account of the
non‑normality of the studied variables (positive
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Mashhadi, et al.: consumption of ginger and cinnamon in athletes
International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 5th Iranian International Sports Medicine Congress, Vol 4, Feb Supplement 1, 2013
S 20
skewed distribution), a logarithmic transformation
was done and homogeneity of the covariance
matrix was tested via the Box’M statistics. Analyses
were performed with the SPSS version 16 (SPSS
Inc, Chicago, IL) statistical package.
RESULTS
Sixty subjects were recruited, with a
median (range) age of 19 (13‑25) years. Forty‑nine
of them completed the six‑week intervention.
Withdrawal from the study was considered
as non‑compliance of the study. General
mean ± SD for all study samples for age (years),
weight (kg), and body mass index (BMI, kg/m2)
was (17.58±3.6), (53.32±8.35), and (20.49±2.94),
respectively. Table 1 presents these variables for
each studied group. There are no statistically
significant differences between groups in terms of
basic characteristics.
Table 2 illustrates the estimated average intake of
some nutrients, before and during the intervention
study. There are no statistically significant
differences between and within groups in the
indicated nutrients.
The multivariate analysis of covariance
(ANCOVA) result showed a significant difference
among the studied groups in terms of study
variables (Wilk’s λ =0.261, F=3.467; P<0.05).
The mean plasma levels of IL‑6 and the average
data of the muscle soreness, before and after
intervention, are shown in Table 3. There were
significant falls (paired t‑test) in IL‑6, in the cinnamon
group (P < 0.01) and ginger group (P<0.001),
and a significant decrease in muscle soreness in
the ginger group (P < 0.001), whereas, there were
no significant differences in IL‑6 between all
groups (P<0.1). There was, however, a significant
reduction in muscle soreness in the cinnamon
group and placebo (P<0.1) and ginger group and
placebo (P<0.01).
Pre‑ and post changes in IL‑6 for group 1 and
control were not statistically significant at P<0.05
and for group 3 they were decreased but were not
Table 1: Basic characteristics of the participants in the
studied groups
Group Mean(± SD)
Age
Control 16.82±0.8
Cinnamon 18.33±1.18
Ginger 16.76±0.8
Weight
Control 50.78±6.88
Cinnamon 52.13±7.10
Ginger 55.29±9.90
BMI
Control 19.8±0.5
Cinnamon 20.2±0.6
Ginger 21.3±0.97
BMI=Body mass index
Table 2: Estimated average intake of some nutrients,
before and during ingestion of placebo (Q), ginger (G),
cinnamon (C)
Group Mean(± SD).
before
Mean(± SD).
during
Kcal
Control 1740±168 1800±100
Cinnamon 1839±173 1686±107
Ginger 2098±178 1727±110
Carbohydrate
Control 260±24 244±98
Cinnamon 238±25 214±69
Ginger 310±25 256±75
Fat
Control 58±10 87±6.1
Cinnamon 77±10 74±6.5
Ginger 69±10 81±6.7
Iron
Control 11.7±2.1 9.8±0.74
Cinnamon 12.8±2.2 9.8±0.79
Ginger 13.7±2.3 9.11±0.8
Zinc
Control 6.9±0.86 7.8±0.5
Cinnamon 7.50±0.88 6.4±0.5
Ginger 8.1±0.91 6.4±0.5
Vitamin E
Control 2.63±0.79 5.07±1.3
Cinnamon 1.75±0.81 4.3±1.3
Ginger 4.5±0.83 5.7±1.4
Vitamin A
Control 274±95 295±334
Cinnamon 484±97 459±356
Ginger 406±100 967±366
Vitamin C
Control 105±15 109±16
Cinnamon 124±16 125±16
Ginger 116±17 113±15
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Mashhadi, et al.: consumption of ginger and cinnamon in athletes
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International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 5th Iranian International Sports Medicine Congress, Vol 4, Feb Supplement 1, 2013
statistically significant at P<0.05. There were no
significant changes in the between‑group analysis in
interleukin 6 (P<0.5, f=1.989). However, pre‑ and
post changes in muscle soreness were marginally
significant for groups 2 and 3 (P<0.05). The test
between subjects revealed that there were significant
falls for muscle soreness (P<0.05, f=188.867).
DISCUSSION
The present study was designed to determine
whether six weeks intake of 3 g of ginger or
cinnamon would influence the plasma levels of
IL‑6 and the muscle soreness caused by eccentric
exercise in female martial athletes. The primary
finding was that there were significant falls (paired
t‑test) in IL‑6 in the cinnamon group (P<0.01) and
ginger group (P<0.001) and a significant decrease
in muscle soreness in the ginger groups (P<0.001).
These findings were consistent with the data from
the randomized controlled trials, which showed
a reduction in an acute‑phase inflammatory
response, and pain, after daily intake of ginger
or cinnamon.[24‑26] Another study had detected
that ginger consumption demonstrated no effect
on muscle pain dysfunction compared with
placebo.[27] Considerable evidence supported the
anti‑inflammatory properties of ginger for several
constituents, especially gingerols, shogaols, paradols,
and zingerones, through decreased cytokine gene
TNF‑α and IL‑6 expression[9] and inhibition of
cyclooxygenase 1 and 2.[3‑5,28,29] These established
biological actions suggest that ingested ginger could
block the increase in IL‑6 and pain.
On the other hand, we found that there were
no significant differences in IL‑6 between all the
groups (P<0.1), which could be explained by the
dose of ginger and cinnamon that was not large
enough for the assessment time frame and the
number of participants in this study, to produce
meaningful effects in IL‑6 between groups. However,
there was a significant reduction in muscle soreness
in the cinnamon group and placebo (P<0.5) and
ginger group and placebo (P<0.01).
CONCLUSION
In summary, the present investigation
demonstrated that six weeks of 3 g dietary ginger
and cinnamon, on consecutive days, reduced the
plasma levels of IL‑6 caused by eccentric exercise
in female martial athletes, and 3 g of ginger also
effectively reduced muscle soreness, but this
finding was not supported by 3 g of cinnamon
consumption.
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marker and muscle soreness before and after ingestion of
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Mashhadi, et al.: consumption of ginger and cinnamon in athletes
International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 5th Iranian International Sports Medicine Congress, Vol 4, Feb Supplement 1, 2013
S 22
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... In line with its proposed nociceptive effects, the consumption of ginger, either acutely or for up to 8 weeks, has been shown to reduce muscle soreness following muscle-damaging exercise [219][220][221][222]. However, despite decreased pain sensations, post-exercise muscle function does not appear to be influenced by ginger consumption [219,221,222]. ...
... In terms of anti-inflammatory actions, ginger does appear to reduce components of the immune response post-exercise when taken either acutely [219] or for 6-8 weeks prior to exercise [220,224]. A study that compared pre-and post-exercise ginger supplementation found that reductions in inflammatory compounds were only observed when ginger was consumed prior to exercise [219]. ...
... Thus, when consumed either pre-or post-exercise, ginger seems to produce antiinflammatory and anti-muscle damage effects. The lowest dose shown to reduce postexercise muscle soreness and inflammation is an acute dose of 2 g ginger powder (60 mg extract) [218,219], and quantities of up to 3 g/day for 8 weeks [220] have been used without adverse effects. However, at this stage, the anti-inflammatory and nociceptive functions of ginger do not seem to translate into physical improvements in muscle function, so ginger may not be an appropriate supplement for athletes wishing to enhance performance in subsequent training sessions or matches. ...
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The metabolic and mechanical stresses associated with muscle-fatiguing exercise result in perturbations to bodily tissues that lead to exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), a state of fatigue involving oxidative stress and inflammation that is accompanied by muscle weakness, pain and a reduced ability to perform subsequent training sessions or competitions. This review collates evidence from previous research on a wide range of nutritional compounds that have the potential to speed up post-exercise recovery. We show that of the numerous compounds investigated thus far, only two—tart cherry and omega-3 fatty acids—are supported by substantial research evidence. Further studies are required to clarify the potential effects of other compounds presented here, many of which have been used since ancient times to treat conditions associated with inflammation and disease.
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... (Faiss et al., 2019). Natural ingredients are starting to be researched for athletes, such as curcumin, pomegranate, and cinnamon (Ammar et al., 2016;Junaidi et al., 2020;Mashhadi et al., 2013;Suhett et al., 2021). Various benefits emerged from this research, such as its impact on improving performance and helping to accelerate mass muscle gain and recovery. ...
... Various benefits emerged from this research, such as its impact on improving performance and helping to accelerate mass muscle gain and recovery. Although not all studies have shown a significant effect of these natural ingredients (Mashhadi et al., 2013), but the difference in results and the increasing interest in research in the scope of natural ingredients is a sign that the urgency of research around natural materials to be used as supplements for athletes is very much needed in the sports environment. ...
... However, another benefit of cinnamon is that it contains antioxidants and antiinflammatory properties. The polyphenol content in cinnamon provides a variety of effects that can not only be used for people with diabetes but athletes, in this case, to overcome fatigue because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (Anderson, 2008;Junaidi et al., 2020;Mashhadi et al., 2013;Rao & Gan, 2014;Shishehbor et al., 2018). Cinnamon has been tested on athletes to determine the improvement in muscle damage and inflammation experienced after training or competition (Junaidi et al., 2020;Mashhadi et al., 2013). ...
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Full-text available
  • Sep 2022
Athletes have a high need to maintain their performance to stay fit while performing a high training intensity and frequent exercise. It makes athletes have a high need for supplements. However, athletes are prohibited from taking supplements included in the doping category. The lowest risk of doping is herbal-based supplements. This study used a systematic review method. The screening employed the PRISMA method as the preferred reporting item for systematic review and meta-analyses. The articles were obtained from Scopus and Dimensions databases using “cinnamon” as the keyword. Furthermore, the words "cinnamon" and "athlete" were added so that the data were obtained more specific. The exclusion criteria of this study involved original article documents, while the inclusion criteria included not more than 5-year publications. In the article selecting process, there were four articles that fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria stating that cinnamon was effective for preventing inflammation that had an impact on accelerating recovery in athletes. Cinnamomum zylanicum is the most effective type of cinnamon for athlete recovery. It is because Cinnamomum zylanicum contains the most Cinnamaldehyde to help speed up recovery, which is most suitable for athletes. Thus, cinnamon is expected to be an alternative supplement for athletes to improve their performance.
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... Tabibi et al. observed reduced triglycerides levels compared to placebo in peritoneal dialysis patients, although there was no variation in total cholesterol, LDL and HDL markers [54]. Inflammatory markers were reportedly lower after treatment with Z. officinale in patients with knee osteoarthritis [55,56], muscle soreness and inflammation [57], acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) [36], as well as in well-trained male endurance runners [58]. On the contrary, no variation in CRP and IL-6 levels was observed for ...
... Particularly, CRP was significantly reduced in 9 out of 10 studies [41e44,47,51e53,56] across different cohorts. The majority of the included studies also showed a significant decrease of TNFa [44,51,53,55,58], IL-6 [41,53,57,58], and IL-1 [58]. IL-10 as an outcome has been reported in only 1 studies on an obese cohort, which showed a significant decrease [42]. ...
The Efficacy of Zingiber officinale on Dyslipidaemia, Blood Pressure, and Inflammation as Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review
Article
  • Sep 2022
Background & Aims Hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and chronic inflammation contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Zingiber officinale has been suggested to reduce these CVD risk factors; however, the clinical evidence remains unclear. This systematic review aims to analyse the effect of Z. officinale as a sole intervention on these risk factors. Methods In this PRISMA-based systematic review, we included randomised clinical trials from PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (July 2020) analysing triglycerides, low- and high-density lipoprotein (LDL, HDL), total cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1, 6, 10, systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure as outcomes. Quality of studies was evaluated by JADAD and the Cochrane risk-of-bias tools. Results A total of 24 studies were included, mostly (79.2%) showing low risk of bias. These were based on obesity and cardio-metabolic derangements (33.3%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (37.5%), and miscellaneous conditions (29.2%). While total cholesterol and triglycerides levels mostly improved after Z. officinale, results were inconsistent for other blood lipids markers. Inflammatory markers (CRP, TNF-α) were more consistently reduced by Z. officinale, while only 3 studies reported a non-significant reduction of blood pressure. Conclusions Although there remains a paucity of studies, Z. officinale may be beneficial for improving dyslipidaemia and inflammation.
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... Several clinical studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of Ginger extract or whole powder on exercise-induced joint pain, muscle soreness, and inflammation. [13][14][15][16] A recent review of clinical trials of Ginger concluded that its use for pain-lowering effect is safe and promising. 17 Ginger has been granted "generally regarded as safe (GRAS)" status by the US Food and Drug Administration and is considered safe at dosages of up to 4 grams daily. ...
Effect of E-PR-01 on Activity-Induced Acute Knee Joint Discomfort in Healthy Individuals: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Cross-Over Study
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2023
Purpose: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study was conducted to investigate the efficacy and safety of E-PR-01, a proprietary formula containing Vitex negundo and Zingiber officinale, on knee joint discomfort due to pain. Patients and methods: Forty adults aged 20-60 years with self-reported pain score of ≤30 mm at rest and ≥60 mm post-exertion on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either the E-PR-01 (200 mg twice daily) or placebo for 5 days. The primary outcome was time to achieve meaningful pain relief (MPR) (≥40% reduction in post-exertion pain VAS score from baseline) post-single dose of intervention on day 1 compared to placebo. The secondary outcomes were post-exertion pain intensity difference (PID) at 2-, 3- and 4-hours and time-weighted sum of pain intensity difference (SPID) over 4 hours post single dose on day 1; post-exertion VAS score at 4 hours' post-intervention on day 5; percentage of responders on day 1; and physical efficiency as assessed by the total duration of exercise sessions completed after single dose of IP compared to placebo. Results: The average time to achieve MPR was 3.38 hours, 32.50% of participants achieved it in the E-PR-01 group post single-dose administration on day 1 as opposed to the placebo where no participant achieved MPR. There were significant intergroup differences in PID (-23.58 vs 2.45 mm) and SPID (-67.48 vs -0.08 mm) at 4 hours of E-PR-01 and placebo administration on day 1. 95% of participants in the IP group experienced some degree of pain relief within 2 hours compared to 37.5% in the placebo group. Conclusion: A single dose of E-PR-01 provided a statistically significant as well as clinically meaningful reduction in exercise-induced knee joint discomfort within 4 hours of administration.
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... Published preclinical (e.g. [41]), as well as clinical [42], studies give additional evidence for antinociceptive effects of cinnamon or cinnamon extracts. ...
TRPA1 Agonists and Bladder Nociception in Female Rats Suggest Potential for Nutraceutical Benefit from Cinnamon
Preprint
Full-text available
  • Jan 2023
Background. TRPA1-related drugs alter sensation, particularly in conditions of inflammation. To further characterize the role of these drugs in bladder sensation, the TRPA1 agonist cinnamaldehyde (CMA) and oral true cinnamon spice were examined in preclinical models of bladder pain. Methods. Female, adult rats with and without acute zymosan-induced cystitis, were anesthetized and visceromotor (VMR) and cystometric responses to urinary bladder distension (UBD) determined following either the intravesical administration of CMA/vehicle solutions or the oral administration of true cinnamon/vehicle. ELISA measures of bladder TRPA1 content were also determined. Results. Acute cystitis resulted in increases in bladder TRPA1 content and produced an increased vigor of the VMRs to UBD and a lowering of micturition volume thresholds for activation of a micturition response. Intravesical CMA produced a robust inhibition of VMRs to UBD in rats with cystitis, but not in those without. Micturition volume thresholds were lowered by CMA in rats without cystitis, but had no additional effect in rats with cystitis. Oral cinnamon also produced a robust inhibition of VMRs to UBD in rats with cystitis and a mild augmentation of VMRs to UBD in rats without cystitis. Conclusions. A potentially analgesic effect of the spice, true cinnamon, in the treatment of the pain of acute cystitis was suggested by these preclinical studies. Human studies are indicated.
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... These reports would appear consistent with the findings of the present study where opposite effects of cinnamon treatment were observed dependent on the presence or absence of active cystitis. Published preclinical (e.g., [41]), as well as clinical [42], studies give additional evidence for antinociceptive effects of cinnamon or cinnamon extracts. Pharmacokinetic studies have identified a significant amount of ingested cinnamon powder is excreted as TRPA1 agonists in the urine [43,44] with known effects on bladder function [44]. ...
TRPA1 Agonists and Bladder Nociception in Female Rats Suggest Potential for Nutraceutical Benefit from Cinnamon
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2023
TRPA1-related drugs alter sensation, particularly in conditions of inflammation. To further characterize the role of these drugs in bladder sensation, the TRPA1 agonist cinnamaldehyde (CMA) and oral true cinnamon spice were examined in preclinical models of bladder pain. Female adult rats, with and without acute zymosan-induced cystitis, were anesthetized and visceromotor (VMR) and cystometric responses to urinary bladder distension (UBD) were determined following either the intravesical administration of CMA/vehicle solutions or the oral administration of true cinnamon/vehicle. ELISA measures of bladder TRPA1 content were also determined. Acute cystitis resulted in increases in bladder TRPA1 content and produced an increased vigor of the VMRs to UBD and a lowering of micturition volume thresholds for activation of a micturition response. Intravesical CMA produced a robust inhibition of VMRs to UBD in rats with cystitis but not in those without. Micturition volume thresholds were lowered by CMA in rats without cystitis but had no additional effect in rats with cystitis. Oral cinnamon also produced a robust inhibition of VMRs to UBD in rats with cystitis and a mild augmentation of VMRs to UBD in rats without cystitis. A potentially analgesic effect of the spice, true cinnamon, in the treatment of the pain of acute cystitis was suggested by these preclinical studies. Human studies are indicated.
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... These spices are widely used for food preparation and medicinal purposes, as a treatment for many conditions including diabetes, asthma, hypertension, inflammation, cough, bronchitis, headache, eczema, fever, dizziness, and influenza. Additionally, black seed is used as a diuretic, lactagogue, and vermifuge, whilst ginger and cinnamon are used as anti-tumor agents, with cinnamon also used to decrease muscle sore-ness in athletes [69][70][71][72][73][74][75]. These spices are also used in food as aromatic spices, carminatives, and condiments ( Figure 1). ...
The Role of Bioactive Compounds from Dietary Spices in the Management of Metabolic Syndrome: An Overview
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2021
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of physiologically dysregulated parameters that can include elevated fasting blood glucose, high blood pressure, central obesity, increased triglyceride levels, insulin resistance, diabetes, elevated low density lipoprotein levels, and reduced high density lipoprotein levels in the blood. Effective clinical management of MetS is critical as it is strongly associated with long lasting and fatal complications in patients. Alongside standard care of lifestyle changes and medication, dietary supplements derived from herbal resources could be an alternative therapeutic strategy that is safe, efficient, culturally acceptable, and has few side effects. Of the dietary supplements, spicy foods have always been considered a great source of functional bioactive compounds. Herbal therapy is broadly used in many countries as a treatment or as a preventive measure in the management of MetS risk factors, including blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipid levels. Herein, an attempt is made to evaluate the recent studies in the management of MetS with herbal alternatives, and to explore the possibility of their use as therapeutic treatments or supplements.
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The Role of Nutrition on Meta-inflammation: Insights and Potential Targets in Communicable and Chronic Disease Management
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2022
Purpose of Review Chronic low-grade inflammation may contribute to the onset and progression of communicable and chronic diseases. This review examined the effects and eventual mediation roles of different nutritional factors on inflammation. Recent Findings Potential nutritional compounds influencing inflammation processes include macro and micronutrients, bioactive molecules (polyphenols), specific food components, and culinary ingredients as well as standardized dietary patterns, eating habits, and chrononutrition features. Therefore, research in this field is still required, taking into account critical aspects of heterogeneity including type of population, minimum and maximum intakes and adverse effects, cooking methods, physiopathological status, and times of intervention. Moreover, the integrative analysis of traditional variables (age, sex, metabolic profile, clinical history, body phenotype, habitual dietary intake, physical activity levels, and lifestyle) together with individualized issues (genetic background, epigenetic signatures, microbiota composition, gene expression profiles, and metabolomic fingerprints) may contribute to the knowledge and prescription of more personalized treatments aimed to improving the precision medical management of inflammation as well as the design of anti-inflammatory diets in chronic and communicable diseases.
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Food first – Die Rolle der Ernährung im Sport
Article
  • Jun 2021
Zur optimalen Sportlernahrung gibt es viele Ratgeber und Mythen. Braucht man wirklich Superfood? Was isst man nach dem Wettkampf? Wie sieht der Speiseplan nach dem Training aus? Und kann man mit der richtigen Auswahl der Nahrungsmittel die Regeneration unterstützen? Fragen über Fragen. Der Artikel gibt darauf Antworten.
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Prevention of neuroinflammation and resolution by phytochemicals
Chapter
  • Jan 2022
Mild neuroinflammation is a neuroprotective process in response to infection or injury contributing to homeostasis and repair process. However, uncontrolled chronic neuroinflammation is a pathogenic process, which is promoted by the activation of microglia and astrocytes. Activation of microglia and astrocytes produces a series of pro-inflammatory and cytotoxic factors, such as iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. These cytokines cause neuronal damage and eventually cell death. Available drugs for suppressing neuroinflammation include steroids, nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs, and immunosuppressants. These drugs produce many harmful effects. Phytochemicals are natural metabolites, which are derived from natural herbs and plants. They are sources of alternative medications, which are safe, effective, and low-cost medicines for the suppression of neuroinflammation in animal and humans. They produce antineuroinflammatory effects by modulating NF-κB, MAPKs, STAT, and Nrf2 signaling pathways.
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Treatment and Prevention of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
Article
Full-text available
  • Feb 2003
Eccentric exercise continues to receive attention as a productive means of exercise. Coupled with this has been the heightened study of the damage that occurs in early stages of exposure to eccentric exercise. This is commonly referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). To date, a sound and consistent treatment for DOMS has not been established. Although multiple practices exist for the treatment of DOMS, few have scientific support. Suggested treatments for DOMS are numerous and include pharmaceuticals, herbal remedies, stretching, massage, nutritional supplements, and many more. DOMS is particularly prevalent in resistance training; hence, this article may be of particular interest to the coach, trainer, or physical therapist to aid in selection of efficient treatments. First, we briefly review eccentric exercise and its characteristics and then proceed to a scientific and systematic overview and evaluation of treatments for DOMS. We have classified treatments into 3 sections, namely, pharmacological, conventional rehabilitation approaches, and a third section that collectively evaluates multiple additional practiced treatments. Literature that addresses most directly the question regarding the effectiveness of a particular treatment has been selected. The reader will note that selected treatments such as anti-inflammatory drugs and antioxidants appear to have a potential in the treatment of DOMS. Other conventional approaches, such as massage, ultrasound, and stretching appear less promising.
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Central Projection of Pain Arising from Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) in Human Subjects
Article
Full-text available
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a subacute pain state arising 24-48 hours after a bout of unaccustomed eccentric muscle contractions. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine the patterns of cortical activation arising during DOMS-related pain in the quadriceps muscle of healthy volunteers evoked by either voluntary contraction or physical stimulation. The painful movement or physical stimulation of the DOMS-affected thigh disclosed widespread activation in the primary somatosensory and motor (S1, M1) cortices, stretching far beyond the corresponding areas somatotopically related to contraction or physical stimulation of the thigh; activation also included a large area within the cingulate cortex encompassing posteroanterior regions and the cingulate motor area. Pain-related activations were also found in premotor (M2) areas, bilateral in the insular cortex and the thalamic nuclei. In contrast, movement of a DOMS-affected limb led also to activation in the ipsilateral anterior cerebellum, while DOMS-related pain evoked by physical stimulation devoid of limb movement did not.
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Effect of orange peel and black tea extracts on markers of performance and cytokine markers of inflammation in horses
Article
Full-text available
This study tested the hypothesis that orange peel (O) and decaffeinated black tea (T) extracts would alter markers of exercise performance as well as exercise-induced mRNA expression for the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. Nine healthy, unfit Standardbred mares (age: 10±4years, 450kg) were assigned to three treatment groups in a randomized crossover design where each horse was administered one of the following; placebo (O; 21 water), black tea extract in water (T; 21) or orange peel extract in water (W; 21), via a nasogastric tube. One hour later the horses completed an incremental graded exercise test (GXT) on a treadmill at a fixed 6% grade with measurements and blood samples obtained at rest, at the end of each 1min step of the GXT and at 2 and 5min post-GXT. An additional set of blood samples for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) measurements of mRNA was obtained before exercise and at 5 and 30min and 1, 2, 4 and 24h post-GXT. The GXTs were conducted between 0700 and 1200h not less than 7days apart. There were no differences (P>0.05) in VO2max, respiratory exchange ratio, run time, velocity at VO2max, core body temperature, haematocrit, creatine kinase (CK), plasma lactate concentrations, HR, right ventricular pressure (RVP) or pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) across treatments. A major finding was that orange peel extract significantly reduced post-exercise VO2 recovery time (W = 112±7, O = 86±6, and T = 120±11s). There was a significant difference in plasma total protein concentration (TP) in the O runs compared with water and T. TNF-alpha mRNA expression was lower in the T runs compared with water and O trials. IFN-gamma mRNA expression levels appeared to be lower in both the T and O extract runs compared with the water trials. The mRNA expression of IL-6 was unaltered across treatment groups. These data suggest that orange peel and black tea extracts may modulate the cytokine responses to intense exercise. Orange peel extract reduced post-exercise recovery time and may potentially enhance the ability of horses to perform subsequent bouts of high-intensity exercise.
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Effects of ginger and cranberry extracts on the physiological response to exercise and markers of inflammation in horses
Article
Full-text available
  • Nov 2009
This study hypothesized that ginger (Zingiber officinale) and cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) extracts would alter the physiological response to exercise as well as markers of muscle damage, and mRNA expression for the inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) after an exhaustive bout of exercise in horses. Nine unfit Standardbred mares (age 10 ± 4 years, ~450 kg) completed three graded exercise tests (GXTs) in a crossover design, where they were assigned to the initial order of treatment in a randomized fashion. The GXTs were conducted between 07.00 and 12.00 hours, 7 days apart. Mares received either water (2 l), cranberry (~30 g in 2 l of water) or ginger (~30 g in 2 l of water) extract 1 h prior to testing. Blood samples were taken prior to dosing (pre-exercise), at the end of each step of the GXT, at the end of the exercise and at 2, 5 and 30 min, 1, 2, 4 and 24 h post-GXT. Plasma total protein (TP) concentration and haematocrit (HCT) were analysed immediately following the tests. Analysis of creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was done commercially. There was no effect of treatment (P>0.05) on VO2max, run-time to fatigue, core temperature, TP or HCT. CK was substantially elevated (P < 0.05) in the ginger group at 4 h post-GXT. All CK levels returned to baseline 24 h post-GXT. No change (P>0.05) was noted in AST. A slight increase (P < 0.05) in CK was seen in all groups at 2 h post-GXT. The cranberry group had significantly lower TNF-α mRNA expression than the control and ginger groups. Ginger appeared to influence (P < 0.05) the upregulation and expression of IFN-γ mRNA at 30 min post-GXT, but, more strikingly, significantly decreased recovery time defined as the time for VO2 to recover from the peak observed at fatigue to a post-exercise plateau (ginger = 101 ± 3 s, water = 130 ± 14 s, cranberry = 131 ± 16 s). No effect of treatment or exercise (P>0.05) was seen on IL-6 mRNA expression. Results suggest that cranberry extract blunts the upregulation and expression of TNF-α mRNA, while ginger extract reduces cardiovascular recovery time in horses completing a short, exhaustive bout of exercise.
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Health-State Utilities in Liver Cirrhosis: A Cross-sectional Study
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2012
Liver cirrhosis can change many aspects of life of the patients and their family and effects society. We aimed to study the utility of cirrhosis from the point of view of the patients, their family, and their care takers to find appropriate interventions, and training and counselling programmes to support patients. In this cross-sectional study with a goal-based sampling method, 66 individuals constructed of 30 decompensated patients with cirrhosis, 21 of the patients family members, and 15 care takers were included. The data were collected through face to face interview and completing of questionnaire consisted of demographic information (age, gender, marital status, and income), the duration of illness, and assessment of utility of cirrhosis using techniques of time trade, standard gamble, rating scale, and the willingness to pay. 52% of participants were men and 48% women which consisted of 58 married, 4 single, and 4 divorced or widowed with the mean duration of having cirrhosis of 3.7 ± 1.4 years. The mean scores of utility of the three groups in all preference-based measures had significant differences (P < 0.05). Different techniques of patient utility in this research from the highest to the lowest were standard gamble (0.55), willingness to pay (0.54), rating scale (0.25), and rating scale (0.05), respectively. The results of the currents study suggested that the cirrhosis status has had the most negative effect on patients, and that patients had a lower utility rate than their family members and caretakers.
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Estimation of Basic Reproductive Number of Flu-like Syndrome in a Primary School in Iran
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2012
Iran, similar to other countries, had faced H1N1 flu outbreak in 2009. In order to assess its transmission dynamic, we estimated its force of infection (β) and basic reproductive number (R(0)). Within a middle size primary school in Iran, we actively followed students and detected flu-like syndrome among students and their families in the first three months of academic year; October through December 2009. We estimated the probability of disease transmission within families (β) fitting random effects Poisson regression model. Moreover, R(0) within the school was computed based on the number of detected cases. In 452 students, 204 influenza-like syndromes were detected. The estimated β within families was 0.10; increasing one infectious member within each family was associated with 30% increase in this number. The estimated R(0) for the first month was 1.21 (95% C.I.: 0.99, 1.47); corresponding numbers for the first two and first three months were 1.28 (95% C.I.: 1.05, 1.54) and 1.32 (95% C.I.: 1.11, 1.59), respectively. It seems that the dynamic transmission of H1N1 virus was more or less comparable with that in other seasonal species. Our findings showed that the virus mainly circulated among students within schools. In addition, it seems that the transmission rate within families was relatively high.
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Subcritical water extraction of flavoring and phenolic compounds from cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Article
Full-text available
抄録 Cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) powder was treated with subcritical water at 150 and 200°C in a semi-continuous system at a constant flow rate (3 mL/min) and pressure (6 MPa). Major flavoring compounds, i.e., cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, cinnamyl alcohol and coumarin, were extracted at lower recoveries than the extraction using methanol, suggesting that degradation of these components might occur during the subcritical water treatment. Caffeic, ferulic, p-coumaric, protocatechuic and vanillic acids were identified from the subcritical water treatment. Extraction using subcritical water was more effective to obtain these acids than methanol (50% v/v) in both number of components and recovery, especially at 200°C. Subcritical water treatment at 200°C also resulted in a higher total phenolic content and DPPH radical scavenging activity than the methanol extraction. The DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content linearly correlated but the results suggested that the extraction at 200°C might result in other products that possessed a free radical scavenging activity other than the phenolic compounds.
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Cinnamon extract suppresses experimental colitis through modulation of antigen-presenting cells
Article
Full-text available
To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of cinnamon extract and elucidate its mechanisms for targeting the function of antigen presenting cells. Cinnamon extract was used to treat murine macrophage cell line (Raw 264.7), mouse primary antigen-presenting cells (APCs, MHCII(+)) and CD11c(+) dendritic cells to analyze the effects of cinnamon extract on APC function. The mechanisms of action of cinnamon extract on APCs were investigated by analyzing cytokine production, and expression of MHC antigens and co-stimulatory molecules by quantitative real-time PCR and flow cytometry. In addition, the effect of cinnamon extract on antigen presentation capacity and APC-dependent T-cell differentiation were analyzed by [H(3)]-thymidine incorporation and cytokine analysis, respectively. To confirm the anti-inflammatory effects of cinnamon extract in vivo, cinnamon or PBS was orally administered to mice for 20 d followed by induction of experimental colitis with 2,4,6 trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. The protective effects of cinnamon extract against experimental colitis were measured by checking clinical symptoms, histological analysis and cytokine expression profiles in inflamed tissue. Treatment with cinnamon extract inhibited maturation of MHCII(+) APCs or CD11c(+) dendritic cells (DCs) by suppressing expression of co-stimulatory molecules (B7.1, B7.2, ICOS-L), MHCII and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. Cinnamon extract induced regulatory DCs (rDCs) that produce low levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-12, interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] while expressing high levels of immunoregulatory cytokines (IL-10 and transforming growth factor-β). In addition, rDCs generated by cinnamon extract inhibited APC-dependent T-cell proliferation, and converted CD4(+) T cells into IL-10(high) CD4(+) T cells. Furthermore, oral administration of cinnamon extract inhibited development and progression of intestinal colitis by inhibiting expression of COX-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IFN-γ and TNF-α), while enhancing IL-10 levels. Our study suggests the potential of cinnamon extract as an anti-inflammatory agent by targeting the generation of regulatory APCs and IL-10(+) regulatory T cells.
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Attenuation of Liver Pro-Inflammatory Responses by Zingiber officinale via Inhibition of NF-kappa B Activation in High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats
Article
The aim of this study was to investigate whether treatment with a ginger (Zingiber officinale) extract of high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats suppresses Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)-driven hepatic inflammation and to subsequently explore the molecular mechanisms in vitro. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with an ethanolic extract of Zingiber officinale (400 mg/kg) along with a HFD for 6 weeks. Hepatic cytokine mRNA levels, cytokine protein levels and NF-κB activation were measured by real-time PCR, Western blot and an NF-κB nuclear translocation assay, respectively. In vitro, cell culture studies were carried out in human hepatocyte (HuH-7) cells by treatment with Zingiber officinale (100 μg/mL) for 24 hr prior to interleukin-1β (IL-1β, 8 ng/mL)-induced inflammation. We showed that Zingiber officinale treatment decreased cytokine gene TNFα and IL-6 expression in HFD-fed rats, which was associated with suppression of NF-κB activation. In vitro, Zingiber officinale treatment decreased NF-κB-target inflammatory gene expression of IL-6, IL-8 and serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), while it suppressed NF-κB activity, IκBα degradation and IκB kinase (IKK) activity. In conclusion, Zingiber officinale suppressed markers of hepatic inflammation in HFD-fed rats, as demonstrated by decreased hepatic cytokine gene expression and decreased NF-κB activation. The study demonstrates that the anti-inflammatory effect of Zingiber officinale occurs at least in part through the NF-κB signalling pathway.
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Exercise-induced increases in inflammatory cytokines in muscle and blood of horses
Article
Studies have demonstrated increases in mRNA expression for inflammatory cytokines following exercise in horses and have suggested those markers of inflammation may play a role in delayed onset muscle soreness. However, measurement of mRNA expression in white blood cells is an indirect method. No studies to date have documented the cytokine response to exercise directly in muscle in horses. This study tested the hypothesis that exercise increases cytokine markers of inflammation in blood and muscle. Blood and muscle biopsies were obtained from 4 healthy, unfit Standardbred mares (∼ 500 kg). The randomised crossover experiment was performed with the investigators performing the analysis blind to the treatment. Each horse underwent either incremental exercise test (GXT) or standing parallel control with the trials performed one month apart. During the GXT horses ran on a treadmill (1 m/s increases each min until fatigue, 6% grade). Blood and muscle biopsies were obtained 30 min before exercise, immediately after exercise and at 0.5, 1, 2, 6 and 24 h post GXT or at matched time points during the parallel control trials. Samples were analysed using real time-PCR for measurement of mRNA expression of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1 (IL-1). Data were analysed using t tests with the null hypothesis rejected when P < 0.10. There were no changes (P > 0.10) in IL-1, IL-6, IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha during control. Exercise induced significant increases in IFN-gamma, IL1 and TNF-alpha in blood and significant increases in IFN-gamma, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in muscle. There were no significant changes in mRNA expression of IL-1 in muscle or IL-6 in blood following the GXT. These cytokine markers of inflammation all returned to preGXT levels by 24 h post GXT. High intensity exercise results in a transient increase in the expression of inflammatory cytokines in muscle and blood.
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