X-Message-Number: 8339
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 19:23:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: Fly Longevity Database
FLY LONGEVITY DATABASE
(last updated June 19, 1997 by Doug Skrecky)
This is a database listing the effect of interventions on drosophlia
melanogaster fruit fly longevity.
Please note that the most effective single modifier of fly life span is
temperature. Average life span at various temperatures of the Oregon R
substrain of drosophilia melanogaster is as follows:
Ref Temp Life Span
1 11 C(52 F) 152 days
2 18 (64) 130
1 20 (68) 81
2 21 (70) 86
1 25 (77) 62
2 27 (81) 42
1 30 (86) 25
2 30 (86) 20
Note that the life prolonging effect of low temperature is abrogated by
replacing half of the water in the fly food by deuterium oxide. (3) The
reason for this effect is unknown.
Unlike omnivores such as mice and men, flies cannot tolerate excess fats
in their diet. Replacing the glucose in the food by various carbohydrates
and fats alters average life span as follows: (4)
Energy Source Life Span
glucose 42.6 days
fructose 44.3
glycerol 43.3
lard 19.5
palmitic acid 17.5
dripping 6.9
butter 7.1
margarine 4.8
Unlike rodents and many other animal species caloric restriction does
not extend life span in flies. (5) Exposure to excess oxygen decreases
lifespan. (6) Exposure to darkness 95% of the time does not increase life
span, but exposure to constant darkness, increases it by 11%. (7)
1 Experimental Gerontology 22: 139-153 1987
2 Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 5: 347-370 1976
3 Science 18: 427-428 February 1974
4 Experimental Gerontology 14: 95-100 1979
5 Journal of Gerontology 51A(4): B280-B283 1996
6 Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 76: 25-31 1994
7 Experimental Gerontology 8: 279-283 1973
The effect of the following supplements on longevity is measured by its
% change in ife span relative to controls. Temperatures in published
experiments are usually tightly controlled at from 22 to 25 C. Although a
variety of types of drosophilia melanogaster are used, the most common
is the Oregon R substrain. The fly food used varies, but the most common
is drosophilia medium 4-24, which is the only commercially available fly
food. Unless otherwise stated all concentrations of supplements are listed
as milligrams per 100 milliliters of fly food.
Ref Supplements % change
*3 acetaminophen 650 20
*3 650 22
*23 acetazolamide 1 mM 12.5
0.5 mM 2.5
*23 ADA buffer 100 mM -13.5
10 mM -13.5
1 mM 1.9
*3 aluminum acetylsalicylate 680 12
*3 680 12
*26 aluminum chloride 10 mM -15.1
1 mM -9.4
0.1 mM 0
*26 aluminum nitrate 10 mM -11.3
1 mM -13.2
0.1 mM -9.4
*26 aluminum sulfate 10 mM -20
1 mM -16.7
0.1 mM -6.7
*3 antipyrine 360 4
*3 360 19
*23 arginine 100 mM 4.2
10 mM -6.3
1 mM -8.3
*8 ascorbic acid 100 mM -3.4
*8 100 mM 0
*8 10 mM 1.7
*8 10 mM 4.4
*8 1 mM 0
*13 ascorbic acid 0.1% 0
*1 ascorbic acid 10 mM & copper gluconate 1 mM -6.7
0.1 mM 0
0.01 mM 0
*3 aspirin 250 34
*3 250 31
*3 60 36
*3 20 30
*3 20 16
*23 BES buffer 100 mM 8.3
10 mM 6.5
*10 b-alanine 100 mM -4.8
10 mM -3.2
1 mM -4.8
*13 BHT 0.1% -? (shortening)
*23 BICINE buffer 100 mM 8.7
10 mM 0
1 mM 4.3
*3 bismuth sodium tryglycollamate 310 -23
*20 cadmium chloride 1 mM -74
0.5 mM -65.1
0.1 mM 8.8
*21 calcium gluconate 100 mM -56.6
10 mM -13.2
1 mM -3.7
*21 calcium lactate 100 mM -66.1
10 mM -10.7
1 mM 1.8
*4 caffeine 100 -3.3
*4 10 1.7
*4 1 -10.1
*3 calcium-acetyl-salicylic
carbamide 150 12
*3 carbinoxamine maleate 16 0
*3 16 0
*3 4 3
*3 4 25
*4 catechin 100 -5.1
*4 10 -8.5
*4 1 -5.1
*14 0.3% 2.8
*3 centrophenoxine 120 18
*3 120 28
*23 CHES buffer 100 mM 2
10 mM 4.2
1 mM -12.5
*3 chloroquine phosphate 250 11
*3 250 19
*3 chlorpromazine HCL 25 -8
*3 25 25
*3 colchicine 0.25 16
*3 0.25 25
*3 chloropheniramine maleate 16 -1
*3 16 6
*3 4 16
*3 4 18
*1 copper chloride 10 mM (toxic)
1 mM -15.1
0.1 mM 0
*1 copper citrate 1 mM -16.3
0.1 mM -3.6
*1 copper gluconate 1 mM -7
0.1 mM -5.5
*1 copper gluconate 0.05 mM 8.2
0.025 mM 8.2
*1 copper lactate 1 mM -1.8
0.1 mM 7
*1 copper lactate 0.1 mM -1.9
0.05 mM 0
*1 copper sulfate 1 mM -10
0.1 mM -4
0.01 mM -4
*3 cortisone acetate 18.8 36
*3 18.8 28
*3 cyclizine HCL 50 -8
*3 50 -16
*3 desoxycorticosterone 0.5 29
*3 dexamethasone sodium phosphate 4 7
*3 4 -15
*11 diethyhydroxylamine 1 mM 0
0.1 mM 4.5
0.01 mM 6.8
0.01 mM 0
0.001 mM 4.7
0.0001 mM -2.3
*3 diphenhydramine HCL 100 14
*3 diphenhydramine HCL 25 16
*3 HCL 25 18
*3 doxylamine succinate 100 14
*3 100 22
*3 25 4
*3 25 4
*14 ellagic acid 0.3% 20.4
*4 epicatechin 100 7.4
*4 10 3.7
*4 1 1.8
*14 esculin 0.3% -15.2
*4 ferrous gluconate 10 mM -26.8
*4 ferrous gluconate + Tetley tea 16.1
*3 fludrocortisone acetate 0.75 1
*3 0.75 23
*3 fluprednisolone 0.75 16
*3 0.047 15
*3 0.047 9
*18 ginseng chinese 25000 -10.6
2500 -6.4
250 2.1
*16 ginseng Wisconsin 25000 -15.5
2500 -3.4
250 0
*21 gluconic acid 100 mM 14.3
100 mM 12.3
10 mM 5.3
10 mM 7.2
1 mM 0
1 mM 1.8
*23 glycylglycine 100 mM -10.9
10 mM 8.7
1 mM -8.7
*1 gluconic acid 100 mM & copper gluconate 0.05 mM 18.2
0.025 mM 21.6
*1 gluconic acid 100 mM & copper lactate 0.1 mM 9.8
0.05 mM 17.6
*8 gulonolactone 800 mM -40.3
*8 80 mM -9
*8 8 mM -4.5
*23 HEPES buffer 100 mM 15.2
50 mM 10.9
10 mM 13
*3 hydrocortisone acetate 500 40
*3 500 25
*3 120 32
*3 120 19
*3 10 32
*3 10 30
*10 hypotaurine 100 mM -39.6
10 mM 2.1
1 mM 6.3
*3 indomethacin 31 0
*3 31 -7
*3 inositol 500 -14
*3 120 17
*3 120 1
*21 lactic acid 100 mM 12.5
10 mM 3.6
1 mM 3.6
*19 lead acetate 10 mM -19.3
1 mM -1.8
0.1 mM 0
0.01 mM 7.1
0.001 mM 3.5
*12 magnesium chloride 3.18 mM -12
*3 methylprednisolone 0.312 1
*3 0.312 1
*3 meclizine HCL 25 5
*3 6.3 -18
*3 6.3 -12
*23 MES buffer 100 mM -2.2
10 mM -2.2
*9 methylene blue 1 mM -49
0.1 mM -2
0.01 mM 8
0.001 mM 0
*6 methylene iodide 1 (diiodomethane) 29.3
*23 MOPS buffer 100 mM 6.8
10 mM 2.3
1 mM 4.5
*13 NDGA 0.1% 20
*3 pantothenic acid 200 -15
*3 200 -36
*3 50 23
*3 50 2
*1 penicillamine 0.67 mM & copper chloride 0.5 mM 4
0.05 mM 4
0.005 mM 4
*3 phenylbutazone 100 -8
*3 100 13
*3 polyvinylpyrrolidone 500 4
*3 500 7
*3 prednisone 0.156 3
*3 prednisolone 0.156 1
*22 probucol 10 0
1 0
0.1 0
*3 procaine HCL 200 3
*3 200 18
*3 promethazine HCL 62.5 -1
*3 62.5 10
*14 propyl gallate 0.3% 14.2
*17 0.3% 34.2
*2 retinol 25 IU/gm 0
2.5 IU/gm 0
0.25 IU/gm 0
*9 riboflavin 1000 0
100 0
*3 salicylamide 650 23
*3 650 25
*3 162 -10
*3 3 parts salicyl-salicylic acid
& 1 part aspirin 490 31
*3 3 parts salicyl-salicylic acid
& 1 part aspirin 162 44
*15 sodium borate 100 mM -69.2
50 mM -51.9
1 mM -21.2
0.25 mM 9.5
0.1 mM 3
0.01 mM 1.5
0.001 mM 0
*26 sodium fluoride 0.1 mM -7.9
0.01 mM -3.9
0.001 mM -5.9
*23 sodium/potassium bicarbonate 30 mM 13.9
30 mM 18.2
*3 sodium salicylate 175 4
*3 175 4
*4 tannic acid 100 -2.9
*4 10 0
*4 1 0
*21 tartaric acid 100 mM -72
10 mM 6
1 mM 0
*10 taurine 200 mM 5.2
100 mM 5.2
50 mM 10.4
*4 Green tea (replaced water) 8.3
*4 1:10 dilution 0
*4 1:100 dilution -5
*4 Salada tea (replace water) 16.7
*4 1:10 dilution 8.3
*4 1:100 dilution 0
*4 Tetley tea (replace water) 21
*4 (replace water) 18
*4 (replace water) 21.4
*4 1:10 dilution 6
*4 1:100 dilution 2
*4 decaf Tetley tea (replace water) 3.5
*4 1:10 dilution -5.3
*4 1:100 dilution -5.3
*23 TES buffer 100 mM 4.2
50 mM 10.5
10 mM 0
*4 theobromine 50 0
*4 5 0
*4 0.5 1.8
*4 theophyline 1 mM 0
*4 0.1 mM 4.4
*4 0.01 mM 4.4
*5 thiazolidine-4-carboxylic sodium 0.2% 8
*5 thiazolidine-4-carboxylic magnesium 0.2% 16
*13 0.1% 20
*12 6.37 mM 6
3.18 mM 35
0.637 mM 29
*7 tocopherol (dl-alpha) 0.25% 8 to 15
*13 tocopherol-p-chlorophenoiacetate 0.1% 13
*25 horseradish peroxidase -30 to 25
*3 triamcinolone 4 23
*3 4 25
*23 TRICINE buffer 100 mM 4.3
10 mM 2.2
1 mM 0
*3 tripelennamine HCL 25 18
*3 HCL 25 19
*23 TRIS buffer 100 mM (toxic)
10 mM -2
10 mM 4.5
1 mM 0
1 mM 13.6
0.1 mM 0
*24 urea 1800 0 to 19
*20 zinc acetate 10 mM -12
1 mM -4
0.1 mM -6
*20 zinc acetate & CDTA 1 mM -8.2
0.1 mM 0
0.01 mM 0
*20 zinc acetate & DTPA 1 mM -2
0.1 mM -2
0.01 mM -4.1
*20 zinc acetate & EDTA 1 mM 2.3
0.1 mM 4.6
0.01 m M 11.6
*1 Gerontology 30:73-78 1984
*2 Experimental Gerontology 28: 601-610 1993
*3 Experimental Gerontology 6: 133-151 1971
*4 Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 67: 227-237 1993
*5 Experimental Gerontology 14: 279-285 1979
*6 Gerontology 24: 104-110 1978
*7 The Gerontologist 13(3): 37 1973
*8 Experimental Gerontology 26: 487-494 1991
*9 Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 68: 175-182 1993
*10 Experimental Gerontology 24: 57-65 1989
*11 Toxicology 10: 203-204 1978
*12 Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
184: 113-117 1987
*13 28'th Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society 1975 p 25
*14 Age 18(4): 183 1995
*15 Environmental Health Perspectives 102(Suppl 7): 45-48 1994
*16 Age 8:21 1985
*17 Age 11: 54-58 1988
*18 Age 7:17-18 1984
*19 Age 15: 47-49 1992
*20 Gerontology 29:226-232 1983
*21 Experimental Gerontology 14: 109-115 1979
*22 Age 16: 53 1993
*23 Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 16: 221-231 1981
*24 Experimental Gerontology 31(4): 533-544 1996
*25 Age 8: 9-11 1985
*26 Gerontology 31: 309-314 1985
If anyone wishes to do longevity research with flies, drosophilia medium
4-24 is available from Carolina Biological Supply Company, 2700 York Road,
Burlington, North Carolina, U.S.A. 27215. Phone is 910-584-0381.
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