Poststerone increases muscle fibre size partly similar to its metabolically parent compound, 20-hydroxyecdysone
Abstract
In mice, poststerone is a major in vivo metabolite of the worldwide popular anabolic food supplement 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Here we present the first study on this ecdysteroid in view of the in vivo anabolic effect of its parent compound, 20E in mammals. We have monitored muscle fibre type cross sectional areas (CSA) of developing rats after treatment with poststerone as we did in a previous study with 20E. The muscle mass and fibre CSAs of soleus and EDL were increased by poststerone in a muscle specific manner as by 20E but there were some differences. Notably, the CSAs of type I and type IIa fibres in the soleus were less elevated by poststerone than by 20E. However poststerone increased the CSA of each four fibre types (I, IIa, IIx, IIb) in the EDL more effectively than 20E did. Poststerone, like 20E, also increased the number of myonuclei in the EDL of both hind limbs. Overall, this shows for the first time that poststerone having steroid nucleus and no side chain of 20E has a partly overlapping effect with that of 20E.
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20E or poststerone showed muscle-specific effects when injected perimuscularly into the leg of young adult male rats.
“Indeed, 20E, or even its derivative, poststerone, showed muscle-specific effects when injected perimuscularly into the leg of young adult male rats [17,18].”
From Molecular Targets of 20-Hydroxyecdysone in Mammals, Mechanism of Action: Is It a Calorie Restriction Mimetic and Anti-Aging Compound? (2025) · cites this paper as [18]
Up to now, structure activity relationship studies have been limited to a comparison of various natural phytoecdysteroids, and the biological activity of metabolites is not much documented, with the exception of Post, which showed an anabolic activity similar to that of 20E.
“Up to now, structure activity relationship studies have been limited to a comparison of various natural phytoecdysteroids, 30 and the biological activity of metabolites is not much documented, with the exception of Post, which showed an anabolic activity similar to that of 20E. 31”
From A Phase 1 study for safety and pharmacokinetics of BIO101 (20‐hydroxyecdysone) in healthy young and older adults (2023) · cites this paper as [31]
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- Authors
- Csábi, J., Rafai, T., Hunyadi, A., & Zádor, E.
- Affiliations
- University of Szeged (HU)
- Corresponding author
- Hunyadi, Attila
- Zádor, Ernő
- Venue
- Fitoterapia
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-04
- Volume
- 134
- Pages
- 459-464
- ISSN
- 0367-326X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2934129895
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 0.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Fitoterapia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- SZTE Publicatio Repozitórium (University of Szeged) (acceptedVersion)
- Repository of the Academy's Library (Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences) (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Research, Development and Innovation Office (K119770)
- EU-funded Hungarian (EFOP-3.6.2-16-2017-00006, EFOP-3.6.1-16-2016-00008, GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00012)
- Ministry of Human Capacities (20391-3/2018/FEKUSTRAT)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Pharmacological Effects and Assays
- Keywords
- 20-hydroxyecdysone, ecdysteroids, muscle fiber size, muscle hypertrophy, soleus muscle, EDL, steroid metabolites, rats
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Ecdysterone, Male, Molecular Structure, Rats, Wistar, Muscle Fibers, Skeletal, Rats
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