Sains Malaysiana 46(10)(2017): 1903–1911

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4610-29

 

Treatment with Pueraria mirifica Extract Prevented Muscle Atrophy and Restored Muscle Strength in Ovariectomized Rats

(Rawatan dengan Ekstrak Pueraria mirifica bagi Menghalang Atrofi dan Memulihkan Kekuatan Otot Tikus Diovariektomi)

 

 

KOCHAKORN SUKJAN INTHANUCHIT¹, WANDEE UDOMUKSORN², EKKASIT KUMARNSIT³, SURAPONG VONGVATCHARANON⁴ & URAPORN VONGVATCHARANON^5*

 

¹Faculty of Traditional Thai Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand

 

²Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand

 

³Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand

 

⁴Department of Oral Surgery (Anesthesiology section), Faculty of Dentistry, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand

 

⁵Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand

 

Received: 5 May 2016/Accepted: 28 March 2017

 

ABSTRACT

Pueraria mirifica (PM) is a phytoestrogen-rich plant that was tested to establish if its phytosteroids could prevent estrogen dependent sarcopenia. The effect of PM on the estrogen levels, estrous cycle, toxicity, muscle mass, strength and endurance of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and gastrocnemius muscles of ovariectomized rats was investigated. Adult female Wistar rats were divided into six groups: Sham-operated (SHAM); ovariectomized (OVX) fed with distilled water (PM0); OVX injected with 40 μg/kg estradiol benzoate (E40); (4-6) OVX fed with ethanolic extract of PM at doses of 50 (PM50), 500 (PM500) and 1000 (PM1000) mg/kg for 90 days. After treatment with all three doses of PM, no toxicity was detected to the hematopoietic system and liver function whereas the E40 group did show toxic effects. Treatment with 50 and 500 mg/kg of PM showed no effect on uterine hypertrophy and caused no arrest of the estrous cycle whereas treatment with estrogen and 1000 mg/kg of PM treatment did. The estrogen level, the cross sectional area of the EDL and the gastrocnemius muscle fiber strength and endurance were all significantly reduced in the PM0 group compared to that of the SHAM group (p<0.05) but were significantly increased in the E40, PM50, PM500 and PM1000 compared to that of the PM0 group (p<0.05). This indicated that the estrogenic activity of PM alleviated muscle atrophy and built up muscle strength and endurance. Thus, the 50 and 500 mg/kg of PM were suitable for treating estrogen dependent sarcopenia in ovariectomized rats.

 

Keywords: Estrogen; ovariectomy; Pueraria mirifica; sarcopenia

 

ABSTRAK

Pueraria mirifica (PM) adalah tumbuhan kaya fitoestrogen yang diuji untuk menentukan jika fitosteroidnya boleh menghalang sarkopenia terbergantung estrogen. Kesan PM pada tahap estrogen, kitaran estrous, ketoksikan, jisim otot, kekuatan dan ketahanan ekstensor digitorum longus (EDL) dan otot gastrocnemius tikus diovariektomi telah dikaji. Tikus Wistar betina dewasa dibahagikan kepada enam kumpulan: sham-dikawal (SHAM), ovariektomi (OVX) diberi air suling (PM0), OVX disuntik dengan 40 μg/kg estradiol benzoat (E40), OVX diberi ekstrak etanol PM pada dos 50 (PM50), 500 (PM500) dan 1000 (PM1000) mg/kg selama 90 hari. Selepas rawatan dengan ketiga-tiga dos PM, tiada ketoksikan dikesan pada sistem hematopoietik dan fungsi hati manakala kumpulan E40 menunjukkan kesan toksik. Rawatan dengan 50 dan 500 mg/kg PM tidak memberi kesan pada hipertrofi rahim dan tidak menyebabkan gangguan pada kitaran estrous berbanding rawatan dengan estrogen dan 1000 mg/kg rawatan PM yang menunjukkan kesan. Tahap estrogen, luas keratan rentas EDL dan kekuatan serta ketahanan gentian otot gastrocnemius berkurang secara signifikan dalam kumpulan PM0 berbanding dengan kumpulan SHAM (p<0.05) yang meningkat dengan ketara dalam E40, PM50, PM500 dan PM1000 berbanding dengan kumpulan PM0 (p<0.05). Ini menunjukkan bahawa aktiviti estrogenik PM mengurangkan atrofi otot dan membina kekuatan dan ketahanan otot. Oleh itu, 50 dan 500 mg/kg PM adalah sesuai untuk merawat sarcopenia bergantung estrogen kepada tikus diovariektomi.

 

Kata kunci: Estrogen; ovariektomi; Pueraria mirifica; sarkopenia

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*Corresponding author; email: uraporn.v@psu.ac.th