BackgroundAcupuncture has been used as a common therapeutic tool in many disorders including anxiety and depression. Serotonin transporter (SERT) plays an important role in the pathology of anxiety and other mood disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acupuncture on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced anxiety-like behaviors and SERT in the dorsal raphe nuclei (DRN).MethodsRats were given acupuncture at ST41 (Jiexi), LI11 (Quchi) or SI3 (Houxi) acupoint in LPS-treated rats. Anxiety-like behaviors of elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field test (OFT) were measured and expressions of SERT and/or c-Fos were also examined in the DRN using immunohistochemistry.ResultsThe results showed that 1) acupuncture at ST41 acupoint, but neither LI11 nor SI3, significantly attenuated LPS-induced anxiety-like behaviors in EPM and OFT, 2) acupuncture at ST41 decreased SERT expression increased by LPS in the DRN.ConclusionsOur results suggest that acupuncture can ameliorate anxiety-like behaviors, possibly through regulation of SERT in the DRN.

The seed of Vigna angularis has long been cultivated as a food or a folk medicine in East Asia. Genistein (4′,5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone), a dietary phytoestrogen present in this plant, has been known to possess various biological properties. In this study, we investigated the possible lifespan-extending effects of genistein using Caenorhabditis elegans model system. We found that the lifespan of nematode was significantly prolonged in the presence of genistein under normal culture condition. In addition, genistein elevated the survival rate of nematode against stressful environment including heat and oxidative conditions. Further studies demonstrated that genistein-mediated increased stress tolerance of nematode could be attributed to enhanced expressions of stress resistance proteins such as superoxide dismutase (SOD-3) and heat shock protein (HSP-16.2). Moreover, we failed to find genistein-induced significant change in aging-related factors including reproduction, food intake, and growth, indicating genistein exerts longevity activity independent of affecting these factors. Genistein treatment also led to an up-regulation of locomotory ability of aged nematode, suggesting genistein affects healthspan as well as lifespan of nematode. Our results represent that genistein has beneficial effects on the lifespan of C. elegans under both of normal and stress condition via elevating expressions of stress resistance proteins.

This study contributes to the continual discovery of lifespan-extending compounds from plants, using the Caenorhabditis elegans model system. An ethyl acetate soluble fraction of methanol extract from the heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan showed a significant lifespan-extending activity. Subsequent activity-guided chromatography of the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction led to the isolation of brazilin. Brazilin showed potent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging and superoxide anion quenching activities and also revealed a lifespan-extending activity in C. elegans under normal culture conditions. Brazilin also exhibited the protective effects against thermal, oxidative and osmotic stress conditions to improve the survival rate of the nematode. Furthermore, brazilin elevated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation in C. elegans. Further studies showed that brazilin-mediated increased stress tolerance of worms could be due to increased expressions of stress resistance proteins such as heat shock protein (HSP-16.2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD-3). Besides, there were no significant, brazilin-induced changes in aging-related factors, including progeny production, food intake, and growth, indicating brazilin influences longevity activity independent of affecting these factors. Brazilin increased the body movement of aged worms, indicating brazilin affects the healthspan and lifespan of nematode. These results suggest that brazilin contributes to the lifespan of C. elegans under both normal and stress conditions by increasing the expressions of stress resistance proteins.

Aging is a key risk factor for many diseases, understanding the mechanism of which is becoming more important for drug development given the fast-growing aging population. In the course of our continued efforts to discover anti-aging natural products, the active constituent 6-shogaol was isolated from Zingiber officinale Roscoe. The chemical structure of 6-shogaol was identified by comparison of its NMR data with literature values. The lifespan-extending effect of 6-shogaol was observed in a dose-dependent manner in Caenorhabditis elegans that has been widely used as a model organism for human aging studies. Mechanism of such action was investigated using C. elegans models, suggesting that 6-shogaol is capable of increasing stress tolerances via enzyme induction. The proposed mechanism was further supported by observation of the increase in SOD and HSP expressions upon treatment with 6-shogaol in transgenic strains of C. elegans which contain GFP-based reporters. In addition, the mechanism was elaborated by confirming that the effect observed for 6-shogaol is independent from other aging-related factors that are known to affect the aging process of C. elegans.