Food Science and Biotechnology · Sep 23, 2024

Fermented red ginseng extract improves sarcopenia-related muscle atrophy in old mice through regulation of muscle protein metabolism

By Oh G, Men X, La IJ et al.

This study investigated the potential ameliorative effects of fermented red ginseng (FRG) extract on sarcopenia-related muscle atrophy in old mice and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. Mice, aged five and twenty months, were divided into seven groups: young and old controls, and old mice treated with Schisandra chinensis extract (200 mg/kg/day), mixed ginsenosides (15 mg/kg/day), and FRG extract (50-200 mg/kg/day). Body weight and grip strength were assessed weekly. After six weeks of oral treatment, quadriceps, gastrocnemius, and soleus were photographed and weighed, and muscle fiber cross-sectional area was analyzed via hematoxylin-eosin staining. Additionally, the protein expression levels were measured using western blot analysis. FRG extract significantly improved muscle atrophy by activating the IGF-1/Akt/mTOR pathway, reducing degradation proteins FoxO3a, MuRF1, and Fbx32, and enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis-related proteins SIRT-1/PGC-1α. The findings suggest that FRG extract effectively mitigates age-related muscle atrophy through these molecular pathways, supporting its potential as a therapeutic agent for sarcopenia.

doi.org/10.1007/s10068-024-01702-0Open access, accepted manuscriptPubMed 39958181Interventions