Study on the Effect and Mechanism of Epicatechin in Alleviating Sarcopenia in Aged Mice

LIU Meifeng; HUANG Ziwei; LIU Ailing; QU Zhihao; HUANG Jian'an; LIU Zhonghua; ZHANG Sheng

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Journal of Tea Science ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3) : 521-534.

Research Paper

Study on the Effect and Mechanism of Epicatechin in Alleviating Sarcopenia in Aged Mice

LIU Meifeng^1,2,3,5, HUANG Ziwei^1,2,4,5, LIU Ailing^1,2,4,5, QU Zhihao^1,2,3,5, HUANG Jian'an^1,2,3,5, LIU Zhonghua^1,2,3,5,*, ZHANG Sheng^1,2,3,5,*

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Abstract

The aging process is inevitably accompanied by a decline in muscle strength and mass, severely impairing the health and quality of life of the elderly population. Epicatechin (EC) is one of the main secondary metabolites found in tea, possesses a variety of biological activities. Previous studies have revealed the anti-aging effects of EC, but its relationship with age-related sarcopenia remains unclear. To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of EC on age-related sarcopenia, this study employed naturally aged C57BL/6J mice as a model. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted using a series of methodologies, including animal behavioral tests, muscle index measurements, histological analysis, Elisa assays, transcriptome sequencing and RT-qPCR validation. The results show that compared with the control group, EC treatment significantly improved the grip strength and endurance performance of aged mice (P<0.05), and significantly increased the muscle index of the gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, and quadriceps femoris muscles (P<0.05). The gastrocnemius muscle fibers in the EC treated group were larger in area and more regularly arranged. EC significantly reduced the levels of the inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α in aged mice (P<0.05). Further transcriptomic sequencing and RT-qPCR validation reveal that EC might downregulate the expression of the BCAA transaminase gene BCAT1 and upregulate the expression of the BCAA transaminase gene BCAT2, as well as the BCAA transporter genes LAT1 and LAT2, thereby regulating muscle protein synthesis. Meanwhile, it could upregulate the expressions of skeletal muscle differentiation-related genes including MyoD, MyoG, MRF4, MCK and Myf5 to alleviate sarcopenia in aged mice.

Key words

epicatechin / sarcopenia / anti-aging

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LIU Meifeng, HUANG Ziwei, LIU Ailing, QU Zhihao, HUANG Jian'an, LIU Zhonghua, ZHANG Sheng. Study on the Effect and Mechanism of Epicatechin in Alleviating Sarcopenia in Aged Mice[J]. Journal of Tea Science. 2026, 46(3): 521-534

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