[Protective effect of RenShen compound and DanHuang compound on muscle atrophy in suspended rats].
OBJECTIVE
To study the protective effect of RenShen compound and DanHuang compound on muscle atrophy caused by simulated weightlessness in rats.


METHODS
Percentage and cross sectional area of fibers and ultrastructure of soleus (SOL) and gastrocnemius (GAS) were determined in 30 d tail suspended rats with or without administration of the medicine.


RESULTS
The percentage of type I fiber of SOL in RenShen (RS) group and DanHuang (DH) group increased by (13.5 +/- 0.96)% (P < 0.05) and (11.2 +/- 0.84)% (P < 0.05) respectively, and those of GAS showed only an increasing trend as compared with suspension control (SC). Cross sectional area of muscle fibers of SOL and GAS in both groups increased, especially in RS group (P < 0.05). The construction of SOL sarcomere in RS and DH groups was improved as compared with SC.


CONCLUSIONS
RS and DH compounds can partially prevent muscle atrophy caused by tail suspension.
Ma
Y L
YL
Institute of Space Medico-Engineering, Beijing, China.
Sun
Y Z
YZ
Yang
H H
HH
D000818:Animals; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018657:Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch / Q000187:drug effects*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005894:Panax / Q000187:drug effects; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D012518:Sarcomeres / Q000187:drug effects; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal