Effect of a herbal medicine on muscle atrophy

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26560283
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Machida Shuichi 順天堂大学, スポーツ健康科学研究科, 准教授 (40421226)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 筋萎縮 / 漢方薬 / 生薬 / 廃用性筋萎縮

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study was to investigate whether administration of a herbal medicine prevents immobilization-induced atrophy of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscles fiber. Twenty-seven 10-week old male F344 rats were divided into three experimental groups: control, immobilized (IM), and immobilized and a herbal medicine administration (IM+HM). IM and IM+HM groups were immobilized both lower extremities by casting-tape for 14 days. As expected, IM group induced significant decreases soleus muscle and plantaris muscle compared with CON group. However a herbal medicine administration significant reversed the weight reduction of soleus muscle compared with IM group. On the other hand, IM+HM group did not reverse the weight reduction of plantaris muscle. This study suggests that administration of a herbal medicine has beneficial effects only on slow-muscle fiber dominant soleus muscle atrophy.

Free Research Field

運動生理学