• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.60-68
• /
• 2023

Objectives: This study was conducted to compare the effects of Hominis placenta (Jahage, J) and wild ginseng (SanSam, S) pharmacopuncture drugs on muscle differentiation and energy metabolism regulation in C2C12 myotubes. Methods: The C2C12 myoblasts were differentiated into myotubes for 5 days by replacing in medium containing 2% horse serum and then treated with J and S pharmacopuncture extract at different concentrations for 24 hr. The expression of myosin heavy chain and energy metabolism-regulating factors, myosin heavy chain (MHC), nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), and proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) were determined in C2C12 myotubes by western blot. Additionally, the phosphorylation of AMPK and the expression of mitochondrial biogenesis, including sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) were determined in the myotubes. Results: As a result, treatment with J and S pharmacopuncture extract at 0.1 and 1 mg/mL increased the MHC expression in C2C12 myotubes compared with non-treated cells, but only S pharmacopuncture was shown a significant and distinct increase in the expression. Expression of TFAM and NRF-1 was also shown significant increases in S and J pharmacopuncture in C2C12 myotubes compared to non-treated cells. The phosphorylation of AMPK and the expression of PGC-1α and SIRT1 showed increased expression in S and J pharmacopuncture compared to non-treated cells. The effect of low-dose of J pharmacopuncture on the phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and PGC-1α expression was greater than that of S pharmacopuncture. Conclusions: In conclusion, both J and S pharmacopuncture promote muscle differentiation in C2C12 myoblasts into myotubes and energy metabolism through the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway. This indicates that the pharmacopuncture with tonic herbal medicines can help to improve skeletal muscle function.