Bangle (Zingiber purpureum Rosc.) extract alleviates skeletal muscle atrophy through modulating Akt/FoxO1/NFκB pathway and enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis in a mouse colitis model

Bangle belongs to the ginger family and has anti-inflammatory properties; however, its efficacy against skeletal muscle atrophy in ulcerative colitis (UC) remains unexplored. This study investigated the effects of Bangle extract (BaE) on the skeletal muscle atrophy in a model for sarcopenia with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Male mice were assigned to the control, DSS, and DSS + BaE groups. BaE alleviated relative weight loss and reduced muscle fiber size in the gastrocnemius muscles (GMs). Mechanistically, BaE upregulated the phosphorylated Akt and forkhead box O (FoxO) 1 levels, and downregulated the E3 ubiquitin ligases, Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 levels. BaE decreased NFκB p65 expression as well as TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA levels. Moreover, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator (PGC)-1α mRNA level and mitochondrial DNA copy number were increased in the DSS + BaE group. These findings demonstrate that BaE alleviates skeletal muscle atrophy through modulating Akt/FoxO1/NFκB pathway and enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis. • BaE intake restores muscle weight and fiber size in mice with DSS-induced colitis. • BaE suppresses Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 by modulating Akt/FoxO1 pathway. • BaE inhibits inflammation by downregulating NFκB p65 and TNF-α mRNA levels. • BaE enhances mitochondrial biogenesis through modulating PGC-1α and mtDNA copy.