Effects of herbal medicines on the muscle atrophy of sarcopenic mice.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K15383
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52010:General internal medicine-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Yakabe Mitsutaka 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (10747265)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: サルコペニア / 廃用性筋萎縮 / 補中益気湯

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Muscle disuse results in loss of skeletal muscle mass and function in elderly individuals. Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41) is an herbal medicinal formulation used to treat elderly patients. It has been suggested that two atrogenes, atrogin-1 and MuRF1, are ubiquitin ligases involved in disuse-induced muscle atrophy and AMPK is involved in skeletal muscle metabolism.
Serum starvation induced the expression of atrogin-1 and MuRF1 in differentiated C2C12 myotubes, and TJ-41 significantly downregulated the expression of atrogin-1 and ameliorated the loss of myotube width. Male mice were subjected to tail-suspension to induce hindlimb atrophy, and administered TJ-41 by gavage. Tail-suspension induced the expression of atrogin-1 and MuRF1 in skeletal muscle as well as its muscle atrophy, whereas TJ-41 treatment downregulated the expression of atrogin-1 and ameliorated the loss of the muscle weight. TJ-41 also activated AMPK and inactivated Akt and mTOR in skeletal muscle in non-suspended mice.

Free Research Field

老年医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究結果により、TJ-41が廃用性筋萎縮を抑制する新たなメカニズムが示唆された。サルコペニアやフレイルを有する高齢者に対しても、TJ-41が有効な可能性がある。
高齢者医療において漢方は重要な位置を占めているがエビデンスは未だ不十分である。TJ-41をはじめとする漢方薬の作用メカニズムを明らかにすることで、高齢者の漢方薬使用のエビデンス確立の一助となることが期待される。