Effects of bioactive substances isolated from Siberian medicinal plants on the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Medicinal plants are sources of natural antioxidants. Acting as reducing agents, these substances protect the human body against oxidative stress and slow down the aging process. We aimed to study the effects of bioactive substances isolated from medicinal plants on the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans L. used as a model organism.
 High-performance liquid chromatography was applied to isolate bioactive substances from the extracts of callus, suspension, and root cultures of meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria L.), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.), Baikal skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis L.), red clover (Trifolium pretense L.), alfalfa (Medicágo sativa L.), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). Their effect on the lifespan of C. elegans nematodes was determined by counting live nematodes treated with their concentrations of 10, 50, 100, and 200 µmol/L after 61 days of the experiment. The results were recorded using IR spectrometry.
 The isolated bioactive substances were at least 95% pure. We found that the studied concentrations of trans-cinnamic acid, baicalin, rutin, ursolic acid, and magniferin did not significantly increase the lifespan of the nematodes. Naringenin increased their lifespan by an average of 27.3% during days 8–26. Chlorogenic acid at a concentration of 100 µmol/L increased the lifespan of C. elegans by 27.7%. Ginkgo-based kaempferol and quercetin, as well as red clover-based biochanin A at the concentrations of 200, 10, and 100 µmol/L, respectively, increased the lifespan of the nematodes by 30.6, 41.9, and 45.2%, respectively.
 The bioactive substances produced from callus, root, and suspension cultures of the above medicinal plants had a positive effect on the lifespan of C. elegans nematodes. This confirms their geroprotective properties and allows them to be used as anti-aging agents.

Ex Vivo and In Vitro Antiaging and Antioxidant Extract Activity of the Amelanchier ovalis from Siberia

“…Excess free radicals damage valuable biomolecules, i.e., DNA, lipids, and proteins. Such damage contributes to the development of various age-related diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerosis [ 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

Study of the hepatotoxicity of trans-coric acid isolated fromScutellaria baicalensisinin vivoexperiments

“…In previous studies by the authors, it was established that metabolites isolated from the root culture of Scutellaria baicalensis did not cause death or toxic effects on Caenorhabditis elegans [17]. In this work, rodents are chosen as model organisms, which are more complex and similar to humans [18, 19].…”