日本德岛大学研究生院的研究小组在最新一期美国《公共科学图书馆·综合卷》上发表报告说，他们通过实验发现，啤酒原料啤酒花中含有丰富的异戊烯基黄酮类化合物，这种物质有遏制肌肉萎缩的作用，今后有望利用这种物质开发药物和特制食品。
研究小组介绍说，他们利用腿部麻痹的实验鼠进行实验，一组实验鼠用混有1克干燥啤酒花粉末的食物喂食两周，另一组只喂一般食物，结果发现前一组实验鼠的肌肉萎缩症状受到遏制。
研究小组解释说，这主要因为啤酒花中含有丰富的异戊烯基黄酮类化合物，这种物质能抑制促使肌肉蛋白质分解的酶发挥作用，有助抑制肌肉进一步萎缩。
研究小组指出，在太空微重力环境下，如果实验动物受伤或将其四肢长期固定，均有可能导致其肌肉萎缩。异戊烯基黄酮类化合物对这种病症可能具有一定的疗效。
领导这个研究小组的寺尾纯二说，目前防止肌肉萎缩主要依靠康复训练，这对卧床不起的老人非常困难。希望今后能通过服药和进食含药用成分的食物来遏制肌肉萎缩。
Prevention of Disuse Muscle Atrophy by Dietary Ingestion of 8-Prenylnaringenin in Denervated Mice
Rie Mukai, Hitomi Horikawa, Yutaka Fujikura, Tomoyuki Kawamura, Hisao Nemoto, Takeshi Nikawa, Junji Terao
Flavonoids have attracted considerable attention in relation to their effects upon health. 8-Prenylnaringenin (8-PN) is found in the common hop (Humulus lupulus) and assumed to be responsible for the health impact of beer consumption. We wanted to clarify the effects of prenylation on the physiological functions of dietary flavonoids by comparing the effects of 8-PN with that of intact naringenin in the prevention of disuse muscle atrophy using a model of denervation in mice. Consumption of 8-PN (but not naringenin) prevented loss of weight in the gastrocnemius muscle further supported by the lack of induction of the protein content of a key ubiquitin ligase involved in muscle atrophy, atrogin-1, and by the activation of Akt phosphorylation. 8-PN content in the gastrocnemius muscle was tenfold higher than that of naringenin. These results suggested that, compared with naringenin, 8-PN was effectively concentrated into skeletal muscle to exert its preventive effects upon disuse muscle atrophy. It is likely that prenylation generates novel functions for 8-PN by enhancing its accumulation into muscle tissue through dietary intake.
文献链接：Prevention of Disuse Muscle Atrophy by Dietary Ingestion of 8-Prenylnaringenin in Denervated Mice
