Pharmacological Interventions for Treatment of Sarcopenia: Current Status of Drug Development for Sarcopenia

Abstract

Sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function with age, was first recognized as a disease in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) (M62.84) and has recently attracted attention as aged populations increase. However, the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia remain controversial and there are as yet no US Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for sarcopenia. Given that both intrinsic and extrinsic factors contribute to sarcopenia onset and development, understanding the mechanism of sarcopenia is important for the development of therapeutic strategies. In this review, we described a variety of drugs for sarcopenia under investigation, including myostatin/ActR2 signaling inhibitors, exercise mimetics, anabolic hormones, and natural compounds. However, the combination of non-drug therapies with exercise and nutritional supplements are also needed as more easily accessible intervention strategies against sarcopenia rather than pharmacological treatments alone. Many approaches to develop therapeutic methods to overcome sarcopenia may lead to healthy aging.

Docosahexaenoic Acid, a Potential Treatment for Sarcopenia, Modulates the Ubiquitin–Proteasome and the Autophagy–Lysosome Systems

“…Therefore, the onset of sarcopenia is the manifestation of the imbalance between metabolic processes. Intrinsic factors within skeletal muscle (e.g., inflammation, apoptosis, proteasomal and lysosomal function, and calcium metabolism) and extrinsic factors in systemic environments (e.g., cytokine levels, hormonal changes, and diminished nutrient intake) are intricately interconnected to contribute to the progression of sarcopenia [34][35][36][37][38][39].…”

“…Moreover, the muscles of the older adults are often resistant to exercise-induced anabolic stimuli (referred to as anabolic resistance) [116]. Considering that there are no clinically proven drugs to treat sarcopenia, developing preventive and therapeutic strategies against sarcopenia is essential for healthy aging in the 21st century [34]. While the etiology of sarcopenia is not precisely understood, imbalanced protein metabolism in muscles is probably one of several direct causes.…”

Multi-environment phenotyping ofC. elegansfor robust evaluation of physical performance

“…The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a popular model organism that features relatively simple and well-understood biology, rapid lifecycle, and ease of culture [9]. Importantly, genetic conservation supports the relevance of the C. elegans model for studying gene activities and pathways relevant to a variety of human diseases [10][11][12][13][14][15][16] including Duchenne muscular dystrophy [17], neurodegenerative diseases [18][19][20], and sarcopenia [21].…”

Effects of astaxanthin on the protection of muscle health (Review)

“…The development of prophylactic and therapeutic strategies for sarcopenia may therefore become imperative to ensure healthy ageing. It is also noteworthy that there are no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs for the treatment of sarcopenia (7). Understanding the pathogenesis of sarcopenia will be important in the design of prophylactic and therapeutic strategies for the disease.…”