Dietary apple polyphenols have preventive effects against lengthening contraction-induced muscle injuries

We examined whether polyphenols from dietary apple have protective effects against exercise-induced muscle strain injury. Sixteen male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into the apple polyphenol (APP; N = 8) and control (CON; N = 8) groups. The APP and the CON groups were fed diets with and without 5% APP, respectively. After a 3-wk feeding period, the gastrocnemii of the animals were subject to lengthening contractions with electrical stimulation and forced ankle dorsiflexion. Isometric torques were measured before and after the lengthening contractions and on days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 after the contractions. On day 7, the animals were sacrificed and the gastrocnemii harvested. Thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances, protein carbonyl, and mRNA of antioxidative proteins in the muscles were quantified. The APP group had significantly lower torque deficits than the CON group on days 3, 5, and 7 after the eccentric contractions. The thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances and protein carbonyl levels in the case of the APP group were significantly lower than those in the case of the CON group. The APP group had significantly higher glutathione-S-transferase a1 mRNA levels than the CON group. Therefore, we conclude that dietary APPs have protective effects against lengthening contraction-induced muscle injury.