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Antistress and adaptogenic activity of lecithin supplementation
Ratan Kumar1, Harish M Divekar, Vanita Gupta
1Department of Biochemistry, Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, Timapur, Delhi, India. rk_dipas@yahoo.com
Objective:
Investigation of lecithin administration in rats for its antistress and adaptogenic activity.
Design:
Lecithin was administered orally (1 mg/g body weight) to rats 0.5 hour, 1.5 hours, 3.0 hours, and 6.0 hours prior to cold (5 degrees C)-hypoxia (428 mm Hg)-restraint (C-H-R) exposure and serum choline estimation. The rectal temperature (T(rec)) of the rats was monitored during the exposure and the recovery periods. The time for decrease of T(rec) to 23 degrees C and its recovery to 37 degrees C were used as indices of antistress and adaptogenic activity.
Results:
Lecithin administration 3-6 hours prior to C-H-R exposure was found to have significant adaptogenic activity that correlated with increased serum choline levels. Lecithin administration prior to C-H-R exposure increased the stress tolerance of the rats by delaying the time for decrease of T(rec) to 23 degrees C during C-H-R exposure. It also helped shorten poststress recovery as observed by decreased time to attain T(rec) of 37 degrees C from C-H-R-induced hypothermia (T(rec), 23 degrees C).
Conclusions:
The results suggested that lecithin supplementation acted as an antistress and adaptogenic functional food. It improved resistance during C-H-R exposure and enhanced recovery from hypothermia.