X-Message-Number: 9746
Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 20:57:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: 21'st update on fly longevity experiment

    This is the 21'st update on my fly longevity experiments. Since flies
 used in run #8 had been pre-aged in holding bottles containing taurine
 larvicide for 29 days prior to use, the remaining life spans are shorter
 than those from the previous run.
    The results were very disappointing with acetyl-carnosine, and I have
 no explanation for why the flies given this died so quickly. However the
 poor result with almond powder was anticipated. This was the first time I
 have tested something that I was fairly confident would reduce life span.
 Unlike mammals, the dietary "essential" fatty acid requirement for flies
 is zero, and all tests with various added fats have yielded reduced life
 spans. However monosaturated fats had never been tested before, so I
 decided to try this with the almond powder.
   It looks like aged garlic powder, and the lower dosage of chili have a
 mild pro-longevity effect. Both the lower doses of cardamon, and
 corriander might also be slightly beneficial before tissue levels
 accumulate to a toxic level. I will have to check out extra low
 concentrations of these some time.
   For the ninth run I am testing a very high dosage (8X) of hawthorn,
 since the Hawthorn 4X did so well in the seventh run. Otherwise I am
 continuing to test the spice cabinet in this latest run. Flies were
 pre-aged for only 17 days, since about 75% of them had died by this time.
 This shorter holding period may be due to the current higher temperatures
 accelerating age associated mortality in drosophilia. These insects now
 show great reluctance in attempting flight, which is typical of aged
 flies.

  Eighth Run          #NUMBER    PERCENTAGE SURVIVAL ON DAY
  Supplement          OF FLIES   3  8 11 14 19 22 26 29 34 39
  ___________________________________________________________
  cntl 1                11      64 36 27 18  9  9  9  9  0  -
  cntl 2                 9      67 44 33 33 22 22 11  0  -  -
  acetyl-carnosine       7      14 14  0  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
  acetyl-carnosine 4X    8      75 13 13  0  -  -  -  -  -  -
  aged garlic           14      86 50 43 43 21  7  7  7  7  0
  aged garlic 4X        10      90 50 50 40 30 10 10  0  -  -
  almond                 7      43 14  0  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
  cardamon               9      78 56 44 44 44 33 22 22  0  -
  cardamon 4X           10      80 40 20 10  0  -  -  -  -  -
  chili                  9      67 56 33 44 22 11 11 11 11  0
  chili 4X               7      86 57 43 29 29 14  0  -  -  -
  coriander              9     100 78 67 33 33 22 11  0  -  -
  coriander 4X           6      67 50 50 17  0  -  -  -  -  -
  echinacea              9      78 11 11  0  -  -  -  -  -  -
  echinacea 4X          13      85 31 31 23 15  0  -  -  -  -
  tomato                10      50 10 10 10 10 10  0  -  -  -
  tomato 4X             14      93 29 21 21  7  0  -  -  -  -
  water reduced          9      67 33 33 33 33  0  -  -  -  -

  NINETH Run
  Cntl 1
  Cntl 2
  Horseradish: 1/16 tsp
  Horseradish 4X: 1/4 tsp
  Hawthorn 4X: 500 mg
  Hawthorn 8X: 1000 mg
  Myrrh: 1/16 tsp
  Myrrh 4X: 1/4 tsp
  Orange peel: 1/16 tsp
  Orange peel 4X: 1/4 tsp
  Orris root: 1/16 tsp
  Orris root 4X: 1/4 tsp
  Pepper (white): 1/16 tsp
  Pepper (white) 4X: 1/4 tsp
  Peppermint leaves: 1/16 tsp
  Peppermint leaves 4X: 1/4 tsp
  Saffron: 1/16 tsp
  Saffron 4X: 1/4 tsp
  Sasparilla: 1/16 tsp
  Sasparilla 4X: 1/4 tsp
  Savory: 1/16 tsp
  Savory 4X: 1/4 tsp
  Senna: 1/16 tsp
  Senna 4X: 1/4 tsp

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