Effects of a supplementation with tart cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) juice and its kernel extract on antioxidant status and muscle health

Tart cherry (fruit of Prunus cerasus L.) is nowadays consumed as a nutritional supplement due to its beneficial health effects. Indeed, numerous scientific studies have attested, by in vitro and in vivo assays, its high anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. However, some investigations have also evaluated its potential use in lowering muscle pain, and accelerating muscle repair. This is especially important for aging individuals who experience loss of muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia). In the present study, we specifically evaluated the effect of tart cherry juice and/or kernel extract supplementation on both regenerative capacity of skeletal muscles and antioxidant status of old male BALB/c mice. After three weeks of dietary supplementation, or not (CTRL), with tart cherry juice (1 mg anthocyanins/mouse/day) and/or modified diet (kernel extract 30mg/kg/day), blood and tissue (liver and kidney) samples were collected to evaluate the antioxidant status. In plasma, the AntiOxidant Power, reactive oxygen metabolites and serum lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase activities were evaluated, whereas, in the tissue samples, the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were measured. To evaluate the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscles (gastrocnemius, soleus, and extensor digitorum lateralis muscles), the number of satellite cells (stem cells) were determined by Flow cytometry. Data obtained from our in vivo study showed a significant increase in the number of muscle stem cells upon treatment, especially in old male BALB/c mice supplemented with tart cherry seed extract (p=0.0015). On the contrary, nonsignificant differences have been stated for the antioxidant status. Our results suggest that consumption of innovative nutraceutical formulations based on tart cherries could be useful to prevent many diseases including sarcopenia and degenerative muscle wasting disorder.