2018 Volume 18 Issue 2 Pages 55-60
Aging and lifespan have long been considered “probabilistic events”. Therefore, it has taken longer for researchers to apply genetic and molecular biological approaches to aging than to other life science fields, such as developmental biology. However, several aging control signals have recently been reported, not only in lower organisms but also in higher organisms. These signals, which include insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways, appear to be evolutionally conserved among these organisms. Moreover, several compounds have been reported to extend the lifespan of these experimental animals. Most of these compounds are calorie restriction mimetics, i.e. they mimic the anti-aging effects of calorie restriction without actual dietary restriction. In the United States, there is a large-scale human clinical trial in progress for one of those compounds, the results of which will be apparent over several years. In this report, we discuss the aforementioned aging control signals and anti-aging compounds that extend the lifespan of experimental animals. Further, we discuss how phytochemicals have the potential to act as anti-aging compounds by modulating the aging control signals.
