Table 6.

Effects of the A. blazei extract treatment on the mitochondrial membrane energization by forward (succinate) and reverse (ATP) electron flow. The mitochondrial membrane energization (transmembrane potential) was estimated fluorimetrically using safranin as a fluorescent probe. Intact mitochondria (1 mg protein) were incubated in a medium as described in Materials and Methods. The values represent the mean ± standard errors of the mean.

Energizing agent	Experimental groups
	(1) Young rats	(2) Old rats	(3) A. blazei-treated old rats
	Fluorescence units
Succinate	150.7 ± 6.5 (n = 4)	187.5 ± 11.7* (n = 5)	228.2 ± 8.07# (n = 6)
ATP	81.3 ± 17.4 (n = 7)	48.3 ± 3.9 (n = 4)	130.5 ± 20.0** (n = 6)

*P < 0.05 for (2) versus (1) and (2) versus (3) (ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc testing).

^# P < 0.05 for (3) versus (1) (ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc testing).

**P < 0.05 for (3) versus (2) (ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc testing).