The Effects of Red Dragon Fruit 甜菜红色素 Extract on the Motor Function 和 健康 of Neuromuscular Junctions in the G93A Mutant hSOD1 Mouse Model of ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by oxidative stress, 神经炎症, 和 axonopathy leading to the loss of upper 和 lower muscular neurons. G93A hSOD1 ALS小鼠模型, 用于本研究, has a point mutation in the SOD1 gene causing an overexpression of superoxide dismutase. This animal model experiences skeletal muscular atrophy, muscle weakness 和 weight loss beginning at the onset of the disease (~90 days old) until they reach end stage (~120 days old). This is due in part to the deterioration of neuromuscular junctions, which are synaptic connections between the terminal end of the motor nerve 和 the muscle. 甜菜红色素, a nutraceutical compound found in red dragon fruit (DFE), has been shown to have powerful antioxidant 和 anti-inflammatory properties, making it a potential therapeutic treatment for ALS. This study tested the effect of betacyanin on motor function 和 the neuromuscular junctions in the gastrocnemii muscles of the G93A mutant hSOD1 ALS mouse model. 在这项研究中, G93A hSOD1 mutant mice were treated orally with 5% (v/v) DFE in drinking water ad libitum from disease onset until end-stage. 在每组中, (consisting of three littermates: one wild type, one untreated mutant 和 one treated mutant), the progression of the disease was monitored by measuring the body weight 和 conducting grip strength 和 rotarod tests. Then histopathological analyses were performed to determine the effect of DFE on the neuromuscular junctions in the gastrocnemii muscles. 整体, the treated mutants have shown reduced deterioration of neuromuscular junctions in the gastrocnemius muscle, delayed wet weight loss of the gastrocnemius muscle 和 improved motor function compared to the untreated control ALS littermate. These findings indicate that DFE slowed the progression of ALS 和 shows potential as a therapeutic treatment for patients with ALS.