Discovery of plant extracts that greatly delay yeast chronological aging and have different effects on longevity-defining cellular processes

// Vicky Lutchman 1, * , Younes Medkour 1, * , Eugenie Samson 1 , Anthony Arlia-Ciommo 1 , Pamela Dakik 1 , Berly Cortes 1 , Rachel Feldman 1 , Sadaf Mohtashami 1 , Mélissa McAuley 1 , Marisa Chancharoen 1 , Belise Rukundo 1 , Éric Simard 2 , Vladimir I. Titorenko 1 1 Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada 2 Idunn Technologies Inc., Rosemere, Quebec J7A 4A5, Canada * These authors contributed equally tothis work Correspondence to: Vladimir I. Titorenko, e-mail: [email protected] Keywords: yeast, cellular aging, longevity, plant extracts, aging-delaying chemical compounds Received: January 14, 2016      Accepted: February 11, 2016      Published: February 24, 2016 ABSTRACT We discovered six plant extracts that increase yeast chronological lifespan to a significantly greater extent than any of the presently known longevity-extending chemical compounds. One of these extracts is the most potent longevity-extending pharmacological intervention yet described. We show that each of the six plant extracts is a geroprotector which delays the onset and decreases the rate of yeast chronological aging by eliciting a hormetic stress response. We also show that each of these extracts has different effects on cellular processes that define longevity in organisms across phyla. These effects include the following: 1) increased mitochondrial respiration and membrane potential; 2) augmented or reduced concentrations of reactive oxygen species; 3) decreased oxidative damage to cellular proteins, membrane lipids, and mitochondrial and nuclear genomes; 4) enhanced cell resistance to oxidative and thermal stresses; and 5) accelerated degradation of neutral lipids deposited in lipid droplets. Our findings provide new insights into mechanisms through which chemicals extracted from certain plants can slow biological aging.