Development of sarcopenia preventative kampo medicine based on the epigenetic regulation mechanism of skeletal muscle stem cells.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22820
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 59:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Shuichi Machida 順天堂大学, 大学院スポーツ健康科学研究科, 教授 (40421226)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: サルコペニア / レジスタンス運動 / 枇杷葉 / 漢方薬

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Kampo herbal medicines are often used to improve discomfort and discomfort associated with aging, loss of strength after illness or surgery, and weak constitution, and it is expected that people with sarcopenia and their premenopausal patients are taking some kind of herbal medicine on a daily or long-term basis. We have previously identified loquat leaf extract as a herbal medicine that synergistically enhances muscle protein synthesis during transient muscle exercise. In the present study, we examined the effects of loquat leaf extract on muscle hypertrophy induced by resistance training in aged female rats. The results of this study suggest that loquat leaf extract increases skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength in postmenopausal women, but there was no synergistic effect when combined with resistance training.

Free Research Field

運動生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

加齢に伴い骨格筋の筋肉量および筋力は低下する。本研究では、サルコペニアの予防・改善に有効である筋力トレーニングと漢方薬を組み合わせことによってサルコぺニアの予防改善効果を高められるかどうかを検証した。本研究の成果ではそのような漢方薬を見いだせなかったが、今後は、今回の実験モデルを用いることで、軽い筋力トレーニングでも漢方薬の服用によって、通常の筋力トレーニングと同程度の効果が見い出せる漢方薬の同定ができる可能性が考えられる。