Protective effects of the water extract of Liuwei dihuang on methylglyoxal-induced atrophy in myotubes

Background: The Chinese herbal formula Liuwei dihuang (LWDH), composed of dihuang (Rehmannia glutinosa), shanyao (Dioscorea opposite), shanzhuyu (Cornus officinalis), zexie (Alisma orientalis), hoelen (Poria cocos) and mudanpi (Paeonia suffruticosa), is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine for neurosis, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Our previous study demonstrated that the water extract of LWDH (LWDH-WE) protects dopaminergic neurons against Parkinson's toxin and improves motor activity of mice with MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease. Methylglyoxal (MG) is a reactive dicarbonyl intermediate and a precursor of advanced glycation end products. In this study, we investigated the effects of LWDH-WE on MG-induced myotube atrophy in C2C12 cells.