Background: Mechanical unloading in the hindlimb negatively affects skeletal muscle and also alter the gut microbiota that recently been recognized as a major contributor(s) in disrupted metabolism and physiology. Present study aimed to investigate the potential role of phenylbutyrate on skeletal muscle atrophy and colon induced by hindlimb unloading (HLU0 in rats. Methods: All rats were allocated into three groups viz control, hindlimb unloaded (HLU) (for 2 weeks,) and HLU+PB (for 300mg/kg orally for 14 days). All rats were sacrificed, and serum, colon tissue, and gastrocnemius (GN) muscles were collected for further endpoints. Various motor coordination activities, serum creatine level; colon, and GN muscle oxidative stress levels, and histopathology were performed. Results: The findings showed that phenylbutyrate treatment significantly improved muscle coordination in hind limb unloading rats. Further, results showed the restoration of the levels of creatine, oxidative stress, and antioxidants. Furthermore, histological results confirmed that phenylbutyrate treatment significantly improved the GN muscle and colonic histological architecture in HLU rats.

Skeletal muscle atrophy, phenylbutyrate, hindlimb unloading, colon, oxidative stress