{
  "abstract": "We investigated the effects of Rhododendron mucronulatum branch extract (RMB) on dexamethasone (DEX)-induced muscle atrophy in young adult male C57BL/6 mice. Mice received oral RMB (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) for 4 weeks and intraperitoneal DEX (5 mg/kg) during the final 2 weeks. RMB significantly improved exercise duration and capacity at 200 and 400 mg/kg (400 mg/kg vs. DEX control: time to exhaustion, 29.5 vs. 21.3 min), and grip strength showed an increasing trend. Muscle fiber cross-sectional area and gastrocnemius weight were preserved at all doses. RMB increased the phospho-Akt/Akt ratio at 200 mg/kg, the phospho-mTOR/mTOR ratio at 400 mg/kg, and the phospho-FoxO3α/FoxO3α ratio at all doses. Atrogin-1 was suppressed at all doses and MuRF1 at 400 mg/kg, whereas MyoD and Myogenin were increased at 400 mg/kg and IGF-1 at 200 and 400 mg/kg. RMB also reduced intramuscular TNF-α and IL-6, restored antioxidant defense in muscle and serum, and increased Bcl-2. These findings suggest that RMB ameliorates DEX-induced muscle atrophy mainly by partially restoring Akt/mTOR signaling, promoting FoxO3α phosphorylation, and suppressing Atrogin-1 and MuRF1, with additional anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic effects.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Dr.Oregonin Inc., #802 Bodeum Hall, Kangwondaehakgil 1, Chuncheon 24341, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea",
    "Department of AI Biological Parts Materials Engineering, Graduate School, Nambu University, Gwangju 62271, Republic of Korea",
    "Department of Forest Biomaterials Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea",
    "Research Institute, SRE Service Co., Ltd., Chuncheon 24232, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea",
    "Institute of Medical Bio-Convergence, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea",
    "Division of Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea",
    "Department of Barista and Bakery, Gangwon State University, Gangneung 25425, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea",
    "Gangwon State Forest Science Institute, 24, Hwamokwon-gil, Chuncheon 24207, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea",
    "Division of Food Science & Biotechnology, Faculty of Agri-Food, College of Future Challenges, Mokpo National University, Damyang 57337, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 12,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Tae Hee Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ye Eun Kwon"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Hyeon Du Jang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Da Hyeon An"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Eun Ji Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Jae In Jung"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Sangil Min"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Tae Hyung Kwon",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2250-9444"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Hee Kyu Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8
      ],
      "name": "Jae Hun Jeong"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Seung-Dai Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Sun Eun Choi",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6306-0372"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1vcphzmdcftjf.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/ijms27219811",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1vcphzmdcftjf",
  "issns": [
    "1422-0067"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9811",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-01",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1vcphzmdcftjf.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-05T00:20:58Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/ijms27219811",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9811"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "issn:1422-0067",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Effects of Rhododendron mucronulatum Branch Extract on Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Loss and Muscle Atrophy in C57BL/6 Mice",
  "title_text": "Effects of Rhododendron mucronulatum Branch Extract on Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Loss and Muscle Atrophy in C57BL/6 Mice",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T00:21:14Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1vcphzmdcftjf",
  "venue": "International Journal of Molecular Sciences",
  "versions": []
}