Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua Polysaccharides with Antiaging and Stress Resistance Efficacies in Caenorhabditis elegans

Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua, a source of Polygonati rhizoma, possesses multiple health-promoting properties and is widely used in food and medicine. This study aimed to elucidate the lifespan promotion abilities and potential mechanism of action of P. cyrtonema Hua polysaccharides (PCHPs) on Caenorhabditis elegans. The results revealed that PCHP had a molecular weight distribution of 8.77×103−1.84 × 106 Da and comprised Man, GalA, Glu, Gal, Xyl, and Ara in a molar ratio of 13.8 : 3.5 : 22.7 : 2.7 : 1:1.3. PCHP (5.0 mg/mL) markedly increased the lifespan of C. elegans by 15.78% ( p < 0.001), improved motility, and increased the resistance to heat stress, UV irradiation, and oxidative stress. PCHP also promoted healthy aging by attenuating the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipofuscin. Furthermore, PCHP upregulated the expression of oxidative stress- and aging-related genes, promoted the migration of DAF-16 into the nucleus, and exerted no effect on the lifespan of daf-2, daf-16, age-1, skn-1, and sir-2.1 mutants. These results indicate that the transcription factors DAF-16, SIR-2.1, and SKN-1 are required for PCHP-mediated lifespan extension in C. elegans. In conclusion, PCHP has the potential to attenuate the effects of aging, which can lay the foundation for aging treatment research with P. cyrtonema.