Abstract
The present invention relates to the abietane diterpene taxodione for its use in treating a muscle wasting diseases and/or disorders; it also relates to the use of taxodione as natural meat preserver. Indeed the Inventors have identified a compound in stems of Rosmarinus officinalis that can prevent the deleterious effects of oxidative stress in skeletal muscle cells. More specifically, they showed that taxodione protects human skeletal muscle cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxic damage (by monitoring cell viability, ROS production, H2AX phosphorylation and CHOP gene expression, see experimental part) more efficiently than carnosic acid and carnosol, the two main reference antioxidant compounds of rosemary leaf extract. Moreover, they also showed that taxodione reduces lipid and protein oxidation in minced meat during refrigerated storage. Their study thus allowed to define taxodione as a cheap source of natural agent that can be used to limit oxidation in human skeletal muscle and processed meat. Oxidative processes cause damages to biomolecules and are associated with muscle wasting diseases in humans, and undesirable changes in food systems.