Anti-aging Effect and Mechanism of Ethanol Extract of Clinacanthus nutans on Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Objective: To assess the anti-aging effect and mechanism underlying the effects of ethanol extract from Clinacanthus nutans (CNEE) using Caenorhabditis elegans as the model organism. Methods: The anti-aging effects of ethanol extract from Clinacanthus nutans on nematodes were detected by experiments to assay longevity, oviposition, and exercise. The antioxidant capacity of the ethanolic extracts from Clinacanthus nutans and their mechanisms of action in delaying aging were investigated by assessing the acute oxidative stress, determining the antioxidant enzyme activity, and determining the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels along with real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR experiments. Results: The ethanol extract from Clinacanthus nutans at 100 μg/mL could prolong the life span of N2 wild type nematode (P0.05). The extract also increased nematode longevity (P0.05). Conclusion: The ethanol extract from Clinacanthus nutans enhanced the ability of nematodes to resist aging and the underlying mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of oxidative stress by daf-16.

Keywords

• clinacanthus nutans ethanol extract
• caenorhabditis elegans
• anti-aging
• antioxidant
• daf-16