Analysis of the new functional ingredient with effects comparable to exercise with the aim of utilization as foods

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26350109
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Chubu University
• Principal Investigator: KUSANO Yuri 中部大学, 応用生物学部, 准教授 (90432252)
• Research Collaborator: TAKEUCHI Wakako ; TSUJIHARA Nobuko
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ジオスゲニン / 骨格筋 / AMPK / 細胞融合 / 筋線維

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study investigated the effects of dietary diosgenin, which is a steroid sapogenin, on lipid metabolism and skeletal muscle. As a result, we found that supplementation with diosgenin led not only to both a significant elevation of HDL-cholesterol concentration and inhibition of visceral fat accumulation, but also to expansion of skeletal muscle fibers in the rats. Furthermore, using mouse myoblast-derived C2C12 cells, it was demonstrated that diosgenin induced skeletal muscle cell differentiation by promoting fusion of myoblasts and promoted phosphorylation of AMP kinase in myotubes.

Free Research Field

食生活学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によりジオスゲニンが骨格筋に与える生理作用を、細胞レベルでの解析結果を伴って、提示することができた。運動不足が「死亡に対する危険因子」に挙げられているが、得られたこれらの成果は、運動時に骨格筋において得られるエネルギー消費の亢進作用及び筋線維の増大・増加作用を示すものと考えている。ジオスゲニンは一部のヤマノイモ属等に多く含まれることから、食品中の機能性成分として期待できる成果が得られたのではないかと考えている。