Citations 1
Dietary supplementation with ursolic acid preserves skeletal muscle mass and strength in mouse models of cancer cachexia
Ducharme, Jeremy B. , Ebert, Scott M. , Cameron, Miles E. , Schonk, Martin M. , Callaway, Chandler S. , Talley, John J., Judge, Sarah M. , Adams, Christopher M., Judge, Andrew R. , Ebert, Scott M. , D'Lugos, Andrew C , Judge, Sarah M , Adams, Christopher M , Judge, Andrew R , D’Lugos, Andrew C. , Adams, Christopher M.
American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology | May 12, 2026 | Volume: 330 | Issue: 6 | Pages: C1800-C1811
Cancer-induced muscle wasting affects many people with cancer, reducing treatment tolerance and survival. We identified a natural dietary compound, ursolic acid, that attenuates muscle atrophy across five preclinical cancer models spanning pancreatic, colon, and lung cancer. Ursolic acid inhibits cancer-induced changes in muscle mRNA expression, preserves muscle strength, and remains protective during chemotherapy, without affecting food intake or tumor burden. These results identify ursolic acid as a promising, translatable dietary supplement for supportive cancer care.