Alterations in Bacterial Metabolism Contribute to the Lifespan Extension Exerted by Guarana in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a widely consumed nutraceutical with various health benefits supported by scientific evidence. However, its indirect health impacts through the gut microbiota have not been studied. Caenorhabditis elegans is a useful model to study both the direct and indirect effects of nutraceuticals, as the intimate association of the worm with the metabolites produced by Escherichia coli is a prototypic simplified model of our gut microbiota. We prepared an ethanoic extract of guarana seeds and assessed its antioxidant capacity in vitro, with a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, and in vivo, utilizing C. elegans. Additionally, we studied the impact of this extract on C. elegans lifespan, utilizing both viable and non-viable E. coli, and assessed the impact of guarana on E. coli folate production. The extract showed high antioxidant capacity, and it extended worm lifespan. However, the antioxidant and life-extending effects did not correlate in terms of the extract concentration. The extract-induced life extension was also less significant when utilizing dead E. coli, which may indicate that the effects of guarana on the worms work partly through modifications on E. coli metabolism. Following this observation, guarana was found to decrease E. coli folate production, revealing one possible route for its beneficial effects.

Profiling and Evaluation of the Effect of Guarana-Loaded Liposomes on Different Skin Cell Lines: An In Vitro Study

“…Furthermore, guarana is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry in the production of drugs and is listed in the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia [41]. It is present in several cosmetic products due to its antimicrobial [42,43] and antioxidant activities [37][38][39]42,[44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53]. Due to the high content of alkaloids in guarana, extracts are added to products for the treatment of gynoid lipodystrophy and to anti-aging creams [54,55].…”

Supplementation with Queen Bee Larva Powder Extended the Longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans

“…C. elegans has the characteristics of easy cultivation and a short life cycle. The genetic pathways of C. elegans are well known, and 60%-80% of the nematode genome sequences are homologous with the human genome sequence [ 17 ]. Based on these advantages, C. elegans has been widely used to evaluate the antiaging properties of substances [ 18 , 19 ].…”