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Natural Products and Muscle Health

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemicals and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 1336

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Musculoskeletal and Immune Disease Research Institute, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea
Interests: natural compounds; sarcopenia; muscle health; nutraceuticals; muscle atrophy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Skeletal muscle plays a central role in physical activity, energy metabolism, and overall health, yet it is highly susceptible to aging, inactivity, inflammation, and metabolic stress. The loss of muscle mass and function, collectively known as sarcopenia or muscle atrophy, represents a major contributor to frailty, disability, and chronic disease. Natural products and bioactive compounds derived from medicinal plants, herbs, and functional foods have gained attention as potential interventions for preserving or restoring muscle health. These natural compounds exert multifaceted effects by modulating signaling pathways involved in protein synthesis and degradation (Akt/mTOR, AMPK/FoxO, MAPK), improving mitochondrial biogenesis, and alleviating inflammation and oxidative stress.

This Special Issue aims to gather recent research and reviews exploring the beneficial effects of natural products and their active ingredients on muscle health. Submissions addressing mechanistic insights, molecular targets, in vivo efficacy, bioavailability, and translational potential are highly encouraged. By integrating findings from basic, preclinical, and clinical studies, this Special Issue seeks to highlight natural product-based strategies for preventing or reversing muscle atrophy and promoting muscle regeneration.

Dr. Ju-Young Kim
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • natural compounds
  • skeletal muscle
  • sarcopenia
  • muscle atrophy
  • inflammation
  • oxidative stress
  • metabolism
  • nutraceuticals

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 9538 KB  
Article
Water Extract of Polygonati Rhizoma Ameliorates Obesity-Related Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Mice and C2C12 Myotubes
by Haifeng Shao, Yang Wang, Yong-Ki Park and Hyo Won Jung
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030429 - 28 Jan 2026
Viewed by 201
Abstract
Background: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a metabolic myopathy characterized by the coexistence of obesity and decline of muscle mass and function. Obesity-related muscle atrophy represents a central pathological feature of this condition. Polygonati Rhizoma is widely used as a dietary herb with tonic [...] Read more.
Background: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a metabolic myopathy characterized by the coexistence of obesity and decline of muscle mass and function. Obesity-related muscle atrophy represents a central pathological feature of this condition. Polygonati Rhizoma is widely used as a dietary herb with tonic effects in traditional Asian medicine. This study aims to investigate the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of the water extract of Polygonati Rhizoma (WPR) on obesity-related muscle atrophy. Methods: The effects and potential mechanisms of WPR were explored using an obesity-induced muscle atrophy (OIMA) mouse model, palmitic acid (PA)- or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced myotube atrophy models, and a myogenic differentiation model in C2C12 cells. Results: In OIMA mice, WPR attenuated obesity-related skeletal muscle atrophy and improved muscle strength and endurance. In the gastrocnemius muscle, WPR-treated mice showed lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation, increased markers of mitochondrial biogenesis, and an improved balance between protein synthesis and degradation. In PA- or LPS-induced myotube atrophy models, WPR treatment suppressed the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS)-mediated proteolysis and NFκB/MAPK-related inflammatory signaling. In addition, WPR promoted myogenic differentiation in C2C12 myoblasts, which was associated with regulation of the p38 MAPK/MyoD/Myogenin axis. Conclusions: Our study suggests that WPR exerts a potential mitigating effect on obesity-related muscle atrophy, and this effect may be associated with the modulation of skeletal muscle inflammatory signaling, mitochondrial function, and protein metabolic balance. These findings are exploratory and provide mechanistic clues for future research aimed at developing potential intervention strategies for obesity-related muscle atrophy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products and Muscle Health)
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21 pages, 5629 KB  
Article
Ophiopogon japonicus Root Extract Attenuates Obesity-Induced Muscle Atrophy Through Regulation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR/FoxO3a Signaling Pathway and Lipid Metabolism in Mice and C2C12 Myotubes
by Yang Wang, Haifeng Shao, Chenzi Lyu, Kyung Hee Park, Tran Khoa Nguyen, In Jun Yang, Hyo Won Jung and Yong-Ki Park
Nutrients 2025, 17(24), 3946; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17243946 - 17 Dec 2025
Viewed by 887
Abstract
Background: Obesity-associated skeletal muscle atrophy is characterized by reduced muscle mass with excessive adipose accumulation, and there is no approved pharmacological therapy targeting both muscle anabolism and lipid metabolism. The root part of Ophiopogon japonicus (OJ), an edible traditional medicine (Liriopis seu Ophiopogonis [...] Read more.
Background: Obesity-associated skeletal muscle atrophy is characterized by reduced muscle mass with excessive adipose accumulation, and there is no approved pharmacological therapy targeting both muscle anabolism and lipid metabolism. The root part of Ophiopogon japonicus (OJ), an edible traditional medicine (Liriopis seu Ophiopogonis Tuber), exhibits anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective properties, yet its impact on obesity-associated muscle atrophy remains unknown. Methods: This study investigated the therapeutic potential and mechanisms of OJ extract against muscle atrophy in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mice and palmitate (PA)-stimulated C2C12 myotubes. Results: In obese mice, the administration of OJ extract inhibited muscle loss, improved muscle strength, and attenuated hepatic steatosis and dyslipidemia. Furthermore, OJ treatment restored myotube diameter, increased the expression of MyHC and Myogenin, and suppressed the expression of Atrogin-1 and MuRF1 in C2C12 myotubes. At the molecular level, OJ extract activated the PI3K-AKT-mTOR/FoxO3a signaling pathway and reprogrammed lipid metabolism in gastrocnemius tissues and myotubes. Conclusions: OJ extract alleviates obesity-induced muscle atrophy through regulation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR/FoxO3a signaling pathway and lipid metabolism in muscle, indicating its potential as a natural therapeutic agent for obesity-associated muscle atrophy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products and Muscle Health)
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