• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.238-244
• /
• 2019

Background: This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim pharmacopuncture on disuse muscle atrophy in the gastrocnemius muscle of rats. Methods: Thirty male 250 g Sprague-Dawley rats were distributed randomly into 3 groups. The left hindlimb immobilization was performed with casting tape for 2 weeks, and no treatment was given to the right hindlimb. Rats received pharmacopuncture and were injected daily on the BL57 with either 2 mL of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim aqueous extract (ZM-W group), 1 mL pharmacopuncture of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim ethanol extract (ZM-E group), or 2 mL normal saline (control group). After 2 weeks of immobilization, the weight of the whole gastrocnemius muscle was measured, and the morphology of both the left and the right gastrocnemius muscles were assessed by Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. To investigate the immobilization-induced muscular apoptosis, the immunohistochemical analysis of BAX and Bcl-2 was carried out. Results: ZM-W and ZM-E significantly inhibited the reduction in weight of the left gastrocnemius muscle, the reduction in the left myofibrils, and the cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius, as compared with the control. Moreover, the ZM-W and ZM-E groups showed significantly reduced immunoreactivity for BAX, and increased immunoreactivity of Bcl-2 in left gastrocnemius muscle compared with the control group. Conclusion: These results suggest that Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim pharmacopuncture has protective effects against immobilization-induced muscle atrophy by regulating the activity of apoptosis-associated BAX / Bcl-2 proteins in the gastrocnemius muscle.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.151-160
• /
• 2024

Objective: The growing consumers' interest on animal welfare has raised the request of products obtained by alternative rearing systems. The present study was conducted to assess the influence of housing system on gut and muscle morphology and on microbial load in rabbits reared under free-range (FR) and cage system (CS). Methods: A total of forty weaned (35 days of age) male Italian White breed rabbits were allotted according to the rearing system, and at 91 days of age were randomly selected and slaughtered for the morphological evaluation of tissue from duodenum and longissimus lumborum. Morphometric analysis of the villus height, villus width, crypt depth, villus height/crypt depth ratio, and villus surface was performed. The microbial loads on hind muscle was determined by total mesophilic aerobic count (TMAC), Escherichia coli and Enterobacteriaceae; whereas, total anaerobic bacteria count (TABC) and TMAC, E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae was determined on caecal content. Results: Rearing system did not interfere with the duodenum and muscle histomorphology in both rabbit groups. Similarly, microbial load of caecal content showed no significant differences on the TABC and TMAC. Conversely, significant difference was found for E. coli strains in caecal content, with the lower counts in FR compared to CS rabbits (p<0.01). Microbiological assay of muscle revealed significant lower TMAC in FR vs CS rabbits (p< 0.05). All rabbit meat samples were negative for E. Coli and Enterobacteriaceae. Conclusion: Free-range could be considered a possible alternative and sustainable rearing system in rabbits to preserve gut environment and muscle quality.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.49-55
• /
• 2017

Purpose : In this study we tested the hypothesis that eucommia ulmoides (EU) extract would improve disuse-induced muscle atrophy following hindlimb immobilization. Method : The hindlimb immobilization was performed with casting tape to keep the left ankle joint in a fully extended position. The rats in EU treated group were orally administrated with eucommia ulmoides water extract. After 2 weeks of immobilization, all animals were sacrificed, and the whole gastrocnemius muscles were dissected from both legs. The morphology of right and left gastrocnemius muscles in both EU and control groups were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results : Eucommia ulmoides extract represented the significant protective effects against the reductions of the gastrocnemius muscles weight and average cross section area to compared with Control group. Conclusion : Eucommia ulmoides has protective effects against immobilization induced muscle atrophy.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.34 no.8
• /
• pp.1382-1391
• /
• 2021

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the impact of different forms of iron including myoglobin, hemin, and ferric chloride on the quality of chicken breast meat. Methods: Chicken breast muscles were subjected to 1, 2, 3 mg/mL of FeCl₃, myoglobin and hemin treatment respectively, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde, meat color, tenderness, water holding capacity and morphology of meat was evaluated. Results: Hemin was found to produce more ROS and induce greater extent of lipid oxidation than myoglobin and ferric chloride. However, it showed that hemin could significantly increase the redness and decrease the lightness of the muscle. Hemin was also shown to be prominent in improving water holding capacity of meat, maintaining a relatively higher level of the immobilized water from low-field nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. Morphology observation by hematoxylin-eosin staining further confirmed the results that hemin preserved the integrity of the muscle. Conclusion: The results indicated that hemin may have economic benefit for the industry based on its advantage in improving water holding capacity and quality of meat.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.311-321
• /
• 2016

Chronic or acute alcohol abuse often leads to liver injury associated with alcoholic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. In addition to the liver, alcohol abuse also induces a variety of other tissue injuries including pancreatitis, cardiomyopathy, neurotoxicity and muscle loss. Chronic skeletal muscle myopathy, independent of peripheral neuropathy, is well recognised in alcoholic patients. Several mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholic myopathy. Ethanol is a potent inhibitor of muscle protein synthesis. Gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles are Type II fiber-predominant and usually considered representative of the musculature as a whole. Whereas, soleus muscle is Type I fiber predominant. Shihosogan-san is a traditional Korean medicine that is widely employed to treat indigestion and liver diseases. Muscle diseases are often related to liver diseases and conditions. We therefore tested the hypothesis that treatment with Shihosogan-san could ameliorate the ethanol-induced changes in muscle protein synthesis. Young male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally given 25% ethanol (5ml/kg, body weight) daily with Ethanol for 28 days. Normal group was similarly administrated with saline. In Shihosogan-san treated group, rats were orally administrated Shihosogan-san extract, and rats of EtOH group were given with the vehicle only. After 4 week, the morphology of gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. For comparative purposes, liver function was also investigated. The muscles from rats of EtOH group displayed a significant reduction in average cross section area compared to Normal group. Shihosogan-san treated group had increased fiber compared to the EtOH group. Moreover, Shihosogan-san treated group compared with EtOH group showed significantly decreased pro-apoptotic BAX expression and increased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression. In conclusion, Shihosogan-san extract showed ameliorating effects on chronic alcohol toxicity in skeletal muscle.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2018

Objectives Disuse muscle atrophy occurs in response to pathologies such as joint immobilization, inactivity or bed rest. Muscle disuse is accompanied by an increase in apoptotic signaling, which mediates some of the responses to unloading in the muscle. GB34 (Yanglingquan) is a acupuncture point on the lower leg and one of the most frequently used points in various skeletomuscular diseases. In this study, the hypothesis that the acupuncture at GB34 could attenuate immobilization-induced skeletal muscle atrophy was tested. Methods The left hindlimb immobilization was performed with casting tape in both GB34 group (n=10) and Control group (n=10). The rats in GB34 group were daily treated with acupuncture at GB34. After 2 weeks of immobilization, the morphology of right and left gastrocnemius muscles in both GB34 and Control groups were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. To investigate the immobilization-induced muscular apoptosis, the immunohistochemical analysis of Bax and Bcl-2 was carried out. Results GB34 group represented the significant protective effects against the reductions of the left gastrocnemius muscles weight and average cross section area to compared with Control group. The acupuncture at GB34 significantly reduced the immunoreactivity of BAX and increased the immunoreactivity of Bcl-2 in gastrocnemius muscle compared with Control group. Conclusions These results suggest that the acupuncture at GB34 has protective effects against immobilization-induced muscle atrophy by regulating the activities of apoptosis-associated BAX/Bcl-2 proteins in gastrocnemius muscle.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.59-66
• /
• 2019

Objectives : Decrease in muscle mass and loss of muscle function due to aging are associated with various diseases. As interest in healthy aging increases, efforts to prevent and treat muscle hypoxia as an illness are increasing. Considering the physical limitations, a pharmacologic approach to the treatment of myopenia is needed. Methods : Terminalia chebula Rets has a wide range of pharmacological effects and is used as a medicinal product in traditional medicine. However, the drug effect on the treatment of muscle disorders has not been revealed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of water extract of Terminalia chebula (WETC) as a therapeutic agent to relieve symptoms of muscle hypoxia. Results : WETC showed strong radical scavenging ability. In addition, WETC increased cell activity of myoblast, and we observed that WETC induces myoblast differentiation by immunoblot analysis using differentiation protein markers as well as cell morphology of myoblast. Based on these results, we examined the effect of chebulic acid, chebulagic acid, gallic acid, geraniin, and punicalagin on cell activity and differentiation of myoblasts. Gallic acid significantly increased cell activity of myoblast, and it was found to be an effective substance which not only induces myoblast differentiation but also promotes proliferation. Conclusions : We suggest that the WETC with antioxidant effect and its indicator gallic acid on cell activity, proliferation and differentiation of myoblast can be studied and developed as a food and medicine for prevention and treatment of various muscle diseases.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.16-24
• /
• 2023

Purpose: To determine the effects of botulinum toxin (BoNT) injection into the human masseter muscle on the morphology of the mandibular condyle bone using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: Twenty volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Group I received a single BoNT injection; Group II received two injections, with the second being administered 4 months after the first. CBCT scans of both temporomandibular joints (TMJs) were performed before and 6 months after the first injection. Bony changes in the cortical layers of the condyle heads were evaluated and the long and short axes of both mandibular condyles were measured. The thickness at the thinnest part of glenoid fossa was also quantitatively measured. Results: There was no significant difference between pre- and post-injection CBCT images. Furthermore, no changes in the cortical layers of the condyle heads were observed among the subjects who exhibited mild degenerative TMJ changes. The quantitative measurements (long axis, short axis, and the thickness of thinnest part of glenoid fossa roof) did not differ significantly between pre- and post-injection except for the long axis in Group I. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, it appears that BoNT injections into human masseter muscles do not alter the morphology of the mandibular condyle bone in healthy adults.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.143-146
• /
• 2024

The current cadaveric report describes an unusual morphology of the sartorius muscle (SM), the biceps-bicaudatus variant. The SM had two (lateral and medial) heads, with distinct tendinous origins from the anterior superior iliac spine. The lateral head was further split into a lateral and a medial bundle. The anterior cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve emerged between the origins of the lateral and medial heads. SM morphological variants are exceedingly uncommon, with only a few documented cases in the literature, and several terms used for their description. Although their rare occurrence, they may play an important role in the differential diagnosis of entrapment syndromes, in cases of neural compressions, such as meralgia paresthetica, while careful dissection during the superficial inter-nervous plane of the direct anterior hip approach is of utmost importance, to avoid adverse effects due to the altered SM morphology.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.60 no.4
• /
• pp.373-381
• /
• 2017

Hippocampus abdominalis, the big belly sea horse, is widely known for its medicinal value in Chinese folk medicine. In this study, extract obtained by proteolytic degradation of this species was investigated for its effects on skeletal muscle development, both in vitro and in vivo. Muscle cell lines ($C_2C_{12}$ and $L_6$) treated with the bioactive peptide did not have any detrimental effects on the cell viability, which was above 80%. Optical microscopy analysis on the morphology of the sea horse extract (SHE)-treated cells showed enhanced differentiating ability with myotube formation. Moreover, cells incubated with the hydrolysate displayed decreased proliferation rate, as recorded by the electric cell substrate impedance sensing system, thereby supporting enhanced differentiation. For a period of 12 weeks, mice models were fed with SHE and simultaneously subjected to treadmill exercise, which increased the expression of Myogenin, a key myogenic regulatory factor. In addition, there was an increase in the expression of AMPK- and Cytochrome C, both of which are important in mitochondrial biogenesis. Thus, the SHE from Hippocampus abdominalis can be a promising candidate as protein supplement aiding muscle development.