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Eur J Nutr (2008) 47:393400 DOI 10.1007/s00394-008-0740-9
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION
Fabrcio A. VoltarelliMaria Alice R. de Mello Spirulina enhanced the skeletal muscle protein in growing rats
Received: 9 October 2007Accepted: 9 September 2008 Published online: 18 September 2008
F.A. Voltarelli (&) M.A.R. de Mello Dept. of Physical Education UNESP-So Paulo State University 24-A Avenue, number 1515-District: Bela Vista 13506-900 Rio Claro (SP), BrazilTel.: +55-19/3526-4100Fax: +55-19/3526-4321E-Mail: [email protected]
j Abstract Background/Aim of the study This study evaluates the effects of the blue green alga spirulina as the sole dietary source of protein on muscle protein in weaning rats. Methods Young (30 days) Wistar rats were fed, during 60 days, with 17% protein spirulina (S) and compared to rats fed 17% protein casein (C). We evaluated the muscle total protein and DNA contents and the in vitro protein synthesis and degradation rates as well the myosin protein expression. Results The groups presented similar body weight (C = 427.3 8.6;
S = 434.6 7.7 g) and length (C = 25.4 0.2;
S = 25.6 0.2 cm). Soleus muscle total protein (C = 2.9 0.1; S = 2.7 0.1 mg/100 mg) and
DNA (C = 0.084 0.005;
S = 0.074 0.005 mg/100 mg) contents were also similar in both groups. Protein degradation (C = 427.5 40.6;
S = 476.7 50.5 pmol/mg)1 h)1)
did not differ between the groups but protein synthesis(C = 17.5 1.0; S = 25.2 1.9 pmol/mg)1 h)1) and myosin content (western blot analyses) were higher (P < 0.05, t test) in spirulina group. Conclusions Although the spirulina proved adequate protein quality to maintain body growth, the muscle protein synthesis rates were increased by the ingestion of the experimental diet in young rats.
j Key words skeletal muscle spirulina protein
Introduction
The use of algae (seaweed) in human alimentation is ancient. In the East, in particular, such source of food material have been tried extensively, in the hope of correcting the widespread protein deciency that characterizes the nutritional status of less favored populations [22, 41]. To this day, with the continuing low level of available protein food all over the world and increasingly urgent need for low-cost food of good nutritional value, the exploration of seaweed biomasses as food sources is a matter of generalized interest.
Spirulina is a...