Study of effect of beetroot juice in muscle damage recovery during anaerobic exercise with reference to unani system of medicine

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the effect of beetroot juice in muscle damage recovery during anaerobic exercise in unani medicine because unani medicine claims that beetroot juice is Muhalil-e-waram and the term Muhalil-e-waram means to reduce the inflammation and to reduce the swelling. And according to modern science, beetroot juice is antioxidant and anti- inflammatory food because it has a high NO3- content. NO3- can be reduced to nitrite via bacteria in oral cavity and by special enzymes (Ex-Xanthine oxide) within tissues.There are several pathways to metabolize nitrite to Nitric oxide (NO) and other biological active nitrogen oxide. NO is signaling molecule formed in the endothelium by the enzyme endothelium NO synthase which triggers the vasculature to relax (vasodilatation) by interacting with vascular smooth muscle leading to increase blood flow. NO facilitates increased blood flow at rest and during exercise and hence it reduces inflammation and helps in improving muscle damage recovery in short time duration.