Significant longevity-extending effects of Alpinia zerumbet leaf extract on the life span of Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

The beneficial effects of the phytochemical compounds in fruits and vegetables have been extrapolated mainly from in vitro studies or short-term dietary supplementation studies. Recent approaches using animal models of Caenorhabditis elegans are becoming quite popular, and in this regard the effects of Alpinia zerumbet leaf extract (ALP) on C. elegans lifespan were investigated under both normal and stress conditions. ALP significantly increased, mean lifespan by 22.6%, better than the positive control, resveratrol. Furthermore, both under thermal and oxidative stressed conditions, ALP increased the survival rate significantly better than quercetin. Further studies indicated that the significant longevity-extending effects of ALP on C. elegans can be attributed to its in vitro free-radical scavenging effects and its upregulation of stress-resistance proteins, including superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD-3) and heat-shock protein (HSP-16.2). These results suggest that phytochemical compounds in A. zerumbet have beneficial effects on the lifespan of C. elegans, and that they can be used as a source of dietary supplements for aging and age-related diseases.