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Background: Muscle atrophy means a progressive decrease in muscle mass, strength, and quality and has a lot of discomfort in daily life. High-dose or continuous use of glucocorticoids (GCs), which are negative muscle regulators, led to the risk of muscle atrophy and weakness. Up to now, the effect and the underlying mechanism of Citri unshius Pericarpium (CP) on muscle atrophy have not been fully elucidated. Objectives: Accordingly, the current study was performed to evaluate the effects and the underlying mechanisms of CP on dexamethasone (DEX)-provoked muscle atrophy in C57BL/6 mice. Materials and Methods: The 8-week-old mice were treated once a day (DEX 20 mg/kg body weight, i.p.), and CP was administrated orally for 10 days. Then, we measured the body weight, swimming time, and muscle weight, and histological evaluation and western blot were performed. Results: CP improved muscle function decline by bettering the swimming time and muscle weight to some extent. Moreover, histological muscle damage induced by DEX was enhanced through CP treatment. CP treatment induced the reduction of ROS-related factors. CP showed a decrease in the protein expressions such as myostatin, Atrogin-1, and MuRF1 via the down-regulation of the phosphorylation of AMPK. Besides, in the CP group, muscle protein synthesis was increased by the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Conclusion: Taken together, CP could be highly commercialized as a commercial material for functional food for the prevention and improvement of muscle loss, which is induced by muscle atrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silibinin (SB) is shown to have an anticancer properties. However, its clinical therapeutic effects have been restricted due to its low water solubility and poor absorption after oral administration. The aim of this study was to develop SB-loaded PCL/Pluronic F68 nanoparticles for pulmonary delivery in the treatment of lung cancer. A modified solvent displacement process was used to make nanoparticles, which were then lyophilized to make inhalation powder, Nanoparticles were characterized with DSC, FTIR,SEM and In vitro release study. Further, a validated HPLC method was developed to investigate the Biodistribution study, pharmacokinetic parameters. Poly Caprolactone PCL / Pluronic F68 NPs showed the sustained release effect up to 48 h with an emitted (Mass median Aerodynamic diameter)MMAD and (Geometric size distribution)GSD were found to be 4.235 ±0.124 and 1.958±1.23 respectively. More specifically, the SB Loaded PCL/Pluronic F 68 NPs demonstrated long circulation and successful lung tumor-targeting potential due to their cancer-targeting capabilities. SB Loaded PCL/Pluronic F68 NPs significantly inhibited tumour growth in lung cancer-induced rats after inhalable administration. In a pharmacokinetics study, PCL/ Pluronic F68 NPs substantially improved SB bioavailability, with a more than 4-fold rise in AUC when compared to IV administration. These findings indicate that SB-loaded PCL/PluronicF68 nanoparticles may be a successful lung cancer therapy delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]