Korean mistletoe’s beneficial role in enhancing the capacity of skeletal muscle

Researchers in Korea looked at the beneficial effects of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum) on the health of skeletal muscle. The study, published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, revealed that the plant’s extract can enhance endurance during exercise.

• Researchers investigated the expression pattern of several genes associated with muscle physiology in C2C12 myotubes cells to determine whether the extract of Korean mistletoe prevents muscle atrophy or promotes muscle hypertrophy.
• In addition, they examined the effects of Korean mistletoe in denervated mice model. The mice were fed with the Korean muscle extract for four weeks.
• Results showed that the treatment promoted the expression of SREBP-1c, PGC-1α, and GLUT4 mRNA in C2C12 cells. These are known positive regulators of muscle hypertrophy.
• Moreover, the genes Murf1 and Atrogin-1 were reduced by the Korean mistletoe extract treatment, indicating its effect on the inhibition of muscle atrophy.
• Atrogin-1 promotes the degradation of MyoD, a key transcription factor of muscle, and elF3f, an enhancer protein of protein synthesis; while Murf 1 regulates muscle structural proteins such as troponin 1 and myosin.
• The extract also inhibited atrogene expression in C2C12 cells.
• The treatment of Korean mistletoe extract in denervated mice resulted in a reduction of Murf1 and Atrogin-1 mRNA.
• Mice that received the Korean mistletoe extract treatment had increased muscle mass and grip strength.
• These findings indicate that the Korean mistletoe extract is beneficial to muscle atrophy and muscle hypertrophy.

Overall, the findings of the study suggested that Korean mistletoe can potentially be used as a functional food for improving muscle atrophy and muscle hypertrophy.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

To read more studies on Korean mistletoe and other medicinal plants, visit AlternativeMedicine.news today.

Journal Reference:

Jeong J, Park CH, Kim YH, Yoon JM, Kim KS, Kim JB. KOREAN MISTLETOE (VISCUM ALBUM COLORATUM) EXTRACT REGULATES GENE EXPRESSION RELATED TO MUSCLE ATROPHY AND MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017; 17(68). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1575-9