Betulin Protects Against Cardiac Hypertrophy by Improving AMPK/Nrf2-Dependent Mitochondrial Function - PubMed
2 days ago
- #mitochondrial function
- #cardiac hypertrophy
- #AMPK/Nrf2 pathway
- Betulin, a natural pentacyclic triterpene, shows therapeutic potential against pathological cardiac hypertrophy (PCH).
- Betulin treatment in mice models reduced cardiac fibrosis by 65% and improved cardiac function (EF by 13.8%, FS by 11.6%).
- Mechanistically, betulin activates the AMPK/Nrf2 signaling pathway, enhancing mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress.
- AMPK inhibition or Nrf2 deficiency abolished the cardioprotective effects of betulin, confirming pathway dependency.
- Molecular docking and dynamics simulations suggest betulin enhances interactions between AMPK and Nrf2.
- The study highlights betulin as a promising therapeutic agent for PCH by targeting mitochondrial dysfunction.