Geroprotective effects of bioactive compounds against hydroquinone toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster: an in vivo and in silico insight.

Oxidative stress and DNA damage caused by hydroquinone (HQ) increases the aging process, whereas antioxidants encourage longer lifespan by decreasing oxidative stress, making it ideal for research on mitigation of oxidative stress induced toxicity. Our study, explored 2'-hydroxyflavanone (2HF) and quercetin (QE) effects on HQ exposed Drosophila through gut toxicity assays (trypan blue) and survivorship (Kaplan-Meier plots) along with fertility and fecundity of female flies. Effects of the compounds on DNA methyltransferase 2 (DNMT2) and P-element Induced Wimpy testis (Piwi) protein were predicted through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. QE and 2HF, individually and in combination, significantly enhanced lifespans, fertility, fecundity and reduced gut toxicity in Drosophila exposed to HQ. QE exhibited the strongest binding affinity to the proteins and greater stabilizing effect on both proteins followed by 2HF as implicated in the computational studies. This data supports the results of the lifespan and developmental assays performed in vivo, indicating that QE and 2HF, when administered alone or in combination serve as natural therapeutics for mitigating toxic effects and modulate longevity. Elaborate research on how these flavonoids act in preventing age related diseases and enhancing lifespan in humans is required.