Nutr Res Pract.  2014 Oct;8(5):526-532. 10.4162/nrp.2014.8.5.526.

Acanthopanax sessiliflorus stem confers increased resistance to environmental stresses and lifespan extension in Caenorhabditis elegans

• Park JK
• Kim CK
• Gong SK
• Yu AR
• Lee MY
• Park SK

• KMID: 2313774
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2014.8.5.526

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
Acanthopanax sessiliflorus is a native Korean plant and used as traditional medicine or an ingredient in many Korean foods. The free radical theory of aging suggests that cellular oxidative stress caused by free radicals is the main cause of aging. Free radicals can be removed by cellular anti-oxidants.
MATERIALS/METHODS
Here, we examined the anti-oxidant activity of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus extract both in vitro and in vivo. Survival of nematode C. elegans under stress conditions was also compared between control and Acanthopanax sessiliflorus extract-treated groups. Then, anti-aging effect of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus extract was monitored in C. elegans.
RESULTS
Stem extract significantly reduced oxidative DNA damage in lymphocyte, which was not observed by leaves or root extract. Survival of C. elegans under oxidative-stress conditions was significantly enhanced by Acanthopanax sessiliflorus stem extract. In addition, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus stem increased resistance to other environmental stresses, including heat shock and ultraviolet irradiation. Treatment with Acanthopanax sessiliflorus stem extract significantly extended both mean and maximum lifespan in C. elegans. However, fertility was not affected by Acanthopanax sessiliflorus stem.
CONCLUSION
Different parts of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus have different bioactivities and stem extract have strong anti-oxidant activity in both rat lymphocytes and C. elegans, and conferred a longevity phenotype without reduced reproduction in C. elegans, which provides conclusive evidence to support the free radical theory of aging.

Keyword

Acanthopanax sessiliflorus; Caenorhabditis elegans; lifespan; stress response; fertility

MeSH Terms

Eleutherococcus*
Aging
Animals
Caenorhabditis elegans*
DNA Damage
Fertility
Free Radicals
Hot Temperature
Longevity
Lymphocytes
Medicine, Traditional
Oxidative Stress
Phenotype
Plants
Rats
Reproduction
Shock
Free Radicals

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Suppressive effect of A. sessiliflorus stem on oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes. The inhibitory effect of in vitro supplementation of different concentrations of A. sessiliflorus stem extract on oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes was determined by alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). Pre-treatment with A. sessiliflorus stem extract significantly reduced oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes. Bottom figures show that dieldrin treatment induced DNA tailing and 5 mg/L of A. sessiliflorus stem extract significantly reduced tailing of DNA. *significantly different from dieldrin-alone treated lymphocytes at P < 0.05 by Duncan's multiple range test.

• 

  Fig. 2 Effect of A. sessiliflorus stem extract on resistance to oxidative stress in C. elegans. Paraquat was used as the oxidative-stress inducer. Viability under the oxidative-stress condition increased significantly after treatment with different concentrations of A. sessiliflorus stem extract (P < 0.05). X-axis indicates the time exposed to paraquat.

• 

  Fig. 3 A. sessiliflorus stem extract increased thermotolerance in C. elegans. Y axis indicates the survival rate of each group after 10 hs of 35℃ heat stress. The 500 mg/L treatment of A. sessiliflorus stem extract was used in this test. Values are mean ± SE of three independent experiments (n = 60). *P < 0.05, significantly different from control.

• 

  Fig. 4 Resistance to ultraviolet irradiation increased following treatment with A. sessiliflorus stem extract. Age-synchronized young adult worms were irradiated with 20 J/cm2/min ultraviolet for 1 min to determine the effect of A. sessiliflorus stem extract on resistance to ultraviolet irradiation. Survival after ultraviolet irradiation increased following treatment with A. sessiliflorus stem extract (P < 0.05). X-axis indicates days after UV irradiation.

• 

  Fig. 5 Lifespan extension by A. sessiliflorus stem extract in C. elegans. The lifespans of C. elegans grown in normal NGM plate and an NGM plate containing 500 mg/L A. sessiliflorus stem extract was compared. Both mean and maximum lifespan increased significantly by A. sessiliflorus stem extract. Mean lifespans of animals grown in the control and A. sessiliflorus stem extract-treated NGM were 18.3 and 21.5 days, respectively. Mean lifespan of worms increased up to 18.8% following A. sessiliflorus stem extract treatment (P < 0.001). The log-rank test was employed for the statistical analysis of the survival curve.

• 

  Fig. 6 Effect of A. sessiliflorus stem extract on fertility of C. elegans. Time-course distribution of fertility and total number of progeny produced by control and A. sessiliflorus stem extract-treated worms is shown. Total number of progeny produced was 175.0 ± 12.56 in the control and 188.5 ± 12.56 in the A. sessiliflorus stem extract-treated group (P = 0.412). Values are mean ± SE (P = 10).

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