Effects of Rhododendron mucronulatum Branch Extract on Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Loss and Muscle Atrophy in C57BL/6 Mice
9 affiliations
- 1Dr.Oregonin Inc., #802 Bodeum Hall, Kangwondaehakgil 1, Chuncheon 24341, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea
- 2Department of AI Biological Parts Materials Engineering, Graduate School, Nambu University, Gwangju 62271, Republic of Korea
- 3Department of Forest Biomaterials Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea
- 4Research Institute, SRE Service Co., Ltd., Chuncheon 24232, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea
- 5Institute of Medical Bio-Convergence, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea
- 6Division of Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
- 7Department of Barista and Bakery, Gangwon State University, Gangneung 25425, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea
- 8Gangwon State Forest Science Institute, 24, Hwamokwon-gil, Chuncheon 24207, Gangwon State, Republic of Korea
- 9Division of Food Science & Biotechnology, Faculty of Agri-Food, College of Future Challenges, Mokpo National University, Damyang 57337, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea
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.
Related
- Male mice are more susceptible than females to obesity-induced muscle atrophy when fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet.
- Prehabilitative Exercise Mitigates Immobilization-Induced Atrophy Through Muscle Reserve Rather Than Resistance to Disuse: The PRE-EX Randomized Controlled Trial
- A Chemically Characterized Polyherbal Extract Selectively Attenuates Chronic Unpredictable Stress-Induced Redox-Sensitive, Inflammatory, and Metabolic Alterations in Female Rats
- Truffle Extract Attenuates TGF-β1-Induced Fibrosis-Associated Responses in HFL-1 Cells and Is Associated with Changes in Smad and MAPK Signaling
- Genome-wide identification and analysis of carotenoid synthesis-related R2R3-MYB genes in Rhododendron molle G. Don.
BibTeX
@article{kim2026effects,
title = {{Effects of Rhododendron mucronulatum Branch Extract on Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Loss and Muscle Atrophy in C57BL/6 Mice}},
author = {Tae Hee Kim and Ye Eun Kwon and Hyeon Du Jang and Da Hyeon An and Eun Ji Kim and Jae In Jung and Sangil Min and Tae Hyung Kwon and Hee Kyu Kim and Jae Hun Jeong and Seung-Dai Kim and Sun Eun Choi},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27219811},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9811},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of Rhododendron mucronulatum Branch Extract on Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Loss and Muscle Atrophy in C57BL/6 Mice
AU - Tae Hee Kim
AU - Ye Eun Kwon
AU - Hyeon Du Jang
AU - Da Hyeon An
AU - Eun Ji Kim
AU - Jae In Jung
AU - Sangil Min
AU - Tae Hyung Kwon
AU - Hee Kyu Kim
AU - Jae Hun Jeong
AU - Seung-Dai Kim
AU - Sun Eun Choi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27219811
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9811
AB - 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.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -