Red grape leaf extract improves endurance capacity by facilitating fatty acid utilization in skeletal muscle in mice

Improving endurance capacity leads to increased athletic performance and active lifestyles. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the intake of red grape leaf extract (RGLE), used as a traditional herbal medicine in the Mediterranean area, on endurance capacity in mice. Male BALB/c mice were divided into three experimental groups with similar swimming times and body weights; control group, 0.2% (w/w) and 0.5% RGLE group. Swimming times were measured for evaluation of endurance capacity once a week during the 10-week experimental period. Blood and tissues were collected from anesthetized mice immediately after 30 min of swimming exercise, and analyzed blood component and fatty acid oxidation enzyme activity, and gene expression in soleus muscle and mesenteric adipose tissue. Endurance capacity was improved by RGLE in a dose-related manner, and was significantly longer in the 0.5% RGLE group than in the control group at week 10. Plasma lactate levels after exercise in the 0.5% RGLE group were significantly lower than that in the control group. RGLE induced the upregulation of hormone-sensitive lipase mRNA in mesenteric adipose tissue, increased the plasma free fatty acid concentration after exercise, and enhanced fatty acid oxidation enzyme activity in the soleus muscle. Furthermore, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1α (Pgc1α) and its downstream target genes were also significantly upregulated in the soleus muscle in the 0.5% RGLE group. Intake of RGLE upregulated Pgc1α expression and facilitated fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle, and these effects contributed, in part, to improve endurance capacity.