eng Science and Education Publishing Journal of Food and Nutrition Research 2333-1240 2016-03-16 4 1 12 19 10.12691/jfnr-4-1-3 JFNR2016413 article Jitima Suwanmala 1 2 Shangyun Lu 2 Qingjuan Tang 2 Charuay Sukhsangchan 2 Rong Zheng 2 Suriyan Tunkijjanukij ffissrt@ku.ac.th, xuech@ouc.edu.cn 3 Changhu Xue ffissrt@ku.ac.th, xuech@ouc.edu.cn 3 College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, P.R. China Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand Background: Sea cucumber (class Holothuroidea, phylum Echinodermata) is a marine food rich in valuable nutrients and is confirmed to have antifatigue effects. This study aimed to compare the antifatigue activity of five sea cucumber species from China and Thailand. Materials and Methods: A mouse model of effective intense exercise was used. Blood levels of lactic acid (LA), and creatine kinase (CK), liver and muscle glycogen content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and blood superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were investigated. Results: Holothuria scabra (Thailand) supplementation decreased blood LA and CK levels from 9.17 ± 0.59 and 0.52 ± 0.03 to 7.82 ± 0.97 mmol/L and 0.40 ± 0.08 U/ml, respectively and increased liver and muscle glycogen levels after intense exercise from 10.70 ± 0.18 and 0.93 ± 0.02 to 14.57 ± 1.61 and 1.02 ± 0.06 mg/g, respectively. Identical results were also obtained in the popular Chinese species A. japonicas. Furthermore, A. japonicus and Thenenota ananas supplementation decreased MDA content significantly (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). A. japonicus, H. scabra, Acaudina molpadioides and Cucumaria frondosa supplementation significantly increased SOD level. Conclusion: The five sea cucumber species, especially A. japonicus and H. scabra, display good antifatigue activities. http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfnr/4/1/3/jfnr-4-1-3.pdf Holothuroidea antifatigue antioxidant exercise performance mouse model