Diosgenin boosts muscle strength and satellite cell proliferation in aged mice by activating SIRT1

In an aged mouse model, administration of diosgenin significantly increased forelimb grip strength, exercise endurance and muscle fibre cross-sectional area. In addition, the number of proliferating satellite cells and the expression level of myogenic differentiation markers also increased significantly. Detailed analysis revealed that these effects are closely related to the direct activation of SIRT1 and deacetylation of PGC-1α. On the other hand, when this pathway was blocked with the SIRT1-specific inhibitor EX527, the above protective effect was completely eliminated. The above results suggest that diosgenin may help counteract the ageing-related deterioration of skeletal muscle function through a mechanism of action that promotes muscle stem cell function.