Anti-hypoxia effects of walnut oligopeptides (Juglans regia L.) in mice.

Objective To investigate the anti-hypoxia effects of walnut oligopeptides (WOPs) in mice. Methods Randomly divide the mice into 4 experimental sets. Then randomly divide each set of mice into 5 groups, including one vehicle control group, one whey protein group (220 mg/kg), and three WOPs intervention groups (110 mg/kg, 220 mg/kg, 440 mg/kg). Test substances were administered orally to mice via the drinking water for 30 days. Results WOPs significantly extended the normobaric hypoxia survival time, sodium nitrite toxicosis survival time, and acute cerebral ischemia survival time. Notably, WOPs increased red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) levels, decreased malonaldehyde (MDA) content and lactate content in brain, enhanced brain lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and promoted the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF1α) mRNA and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA. Conclusion WOPs have anti-hypoxia effects, and the mechanism may involve the following aspects: the first is to improve the blood's oxygen carrying capacity and oxygen utilization rate, the second is to minimize the lesion of lipid peroxidation, the third is to increase the brain's ability to buffer against lactic acidosis of mice, and the fourth is to promote angiogenesis and regulate hypoxia response.