Abstract:

Objectives: To evaluate the anti-fatigue, immune-enhancing, auxiliary lipid-lowering and auxiliary hypoglycemiceffects of apple cider vinegar fortified with Cordyceps militaris polysaccharides orally administered to mice. Methods:Cordyceps militaris polysaccharides were extracted from the fruit bodies of Cordyceps militaris. Apple cider vinegar wasprepared by alcoholic and subsequent acetous fermentation of apple juice and formulated into a functional beverage withthe addition of the fungal polysaccharides. After adult mice were orally administered with different dosages of the applevinegar beverage, weight-loaded forced swimming time, liver glycogen content and blood lactate content after swimmingwere determined to evaluate the anti-fatigue effect of the beverage. Suppression of delayed type hypersensitivity and carbonclearance enhancement were conducted to determine the immune-enhancing function. After adult mice were fed with ahigh-fat diet and simultaneously administered orally with different dosages of the fortified beverage, serum total cholesterol(TC) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were detected to evaluate the auxiliary lipid-lowering effect in mice. Afteradult hyperglycemic mice were orally administered with different dosages of the beverage, blood glucose concentrationwas detected to evaluate the auxiliary hypoglycemic effect in vivo. Results: In anti-fatigue tests, the weight-loaded forcedswimming time of mice was significantly increased, while liver glycogen level was significantly elevated and the areaunder the curve of blood lactate was significantly reduced in the treatment group when compared with the blank group.The swelling degree of ears was significantly reduced, and the clearance index and the phagocytosis index weresignificantly increased, as indicated by the immune-enhancing effects of the beverage. Its auxiliary lipid-loweringeffect indicated serum TC and TG levels were significantly reduced and the body weight of mice was lower than thatof the control. As for its auxiliary hypoglycemic activity, blood glucose concentration was significantly decreased.In addition, all these biological activities were dosage dependent. The efficacy of the fortified beverage was betterthan that of Cordyceps militaris polysaccharides and apple cider vinegar separately. Conclusion: Apple cider vinegarfortified with Cordyceps militaris polysaccharides has anti-fatigue, immune-enhancing, auxiliary lipid-lowering andauxiliary hypoglycemic effects in mice.

Key words: apple cider vinegar fortified with Cordyceps militaris polysaccharides, auxiliary hypoglycemic activity;auxiliary lipid-lowering activity, anti-fatigue effect, immune-enhancing function