X-Message-Number: 28646
Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 20:58:43 -0800 (PST)
From: 
Subject: resveratrol extends rodent lifespan

[Resveratrol is expensive. Try gamma tocopherol and pantethine instead.]

Nature advance online publication 1 November 2006 |
doi:10.1038/nature05354; Received 10 August 2006; Accepted 19 October
2006; Published online 1 November 2006

Resveratrol improves health and survival of mice on a high-calorie diet
  Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) extends the lifespan of diverse
species including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Caenorhabditis elegans and
Drosophila melanogaster. In these organisms, lifespan extension is
dependent on Sir2, a conserved deacetylase proposed to underlie the
beneficial effects of caloric restriction. Here we show that resveratrol
shifts the physiology of middle-aged mice on a high-calorie diet towards
that of mice on a standard diet and significantly increases their
survival. Resveratrol produces changes associated with longer lifespan,
including increased insulin sensitivity, reduced insulin-like growth
factor-1 (IGF-I) levels, increased AMP-activated protein kinase
(AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- coactivator 1
(PGC-1) activity, increased mitochondrial number, and improved motor
function. Parametric analysis of gene set enrichment revealed that
resveratrol opposed the effects of the high-calorie diet in 144 out of
153 significantly altered pathways. These data show that improving
general health in mammals using small molecules is an attainable goal,
and point to new approaches for treating obesity-related disorders and
diseases of ageing.

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