US researchers have made a step closer to making a drug that could help human beings live longer, using the extract of an Asian plant named Artemisia scoparia.
In a study published in the latest issue of The Journals of Gerontology, the researchers found this extract has proved effective in elongating the lifespan of roundworms, also known as C. elegans.
Although worms and humans don't appear to have much in common, researchers at the Louisiana State University Department of Biological Sciences say there is good reason to assume the results could be replicated in people, as the study builds on previous work on metabolic health in mice – an animal often used in trials of human therapeutics. The reason this study made so much sense to do in worms is because worms live for only about three weeks, so in a month or two, we had definite results.
During the study, the extract was fed to worms in various doses. The treated worms who received the highest and second-highest dose showed near-immediate improvement in their metabolic health. Not only did the treated worms live up to 40 percent longer than the untreated control group, but they also became healthier and more resilient. It was easier for them to handle stress as well. In addition, the researchers found that Artemisia scoparia helps convert unhealthy fat stores into healthy fat stores in the body.
"Until recently, it wasn't really known how aging could be modified through diet, or how core metabolic signaling pathways influence longevity. What we've been able to show is that a natural extract can come in and influence these pathways,” said lead author Adam Bohnert in a report.
“Importantly, it gives us a therapeutic standpoint, as we all know age is the primary risk factor for many diseases,” he added.
