Effect of membrane stabilizing drugs on mortality in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Summary Thirty eight drugs, added to the nutrient medium at one or more concentrations, were studied for their effect on life span in Drosophila melanogaster . Most drugs were selected for their known or suspected capacity to stabilize cellular membranes—particularly lysosomal membranes—against breakdown in vitro or in vivo . Median life span, maximum life span, and in selected cases mean life span, its standard deviation and the statistical significance of differences over controls were determined. Significant extensions of mean life span in both male and female flies were produced, sometimes over a range of concentrations, by cortisone (18 to 43 per cent), hydrocortisone (21 to 39 per cent), triamcinolone (18 to 19 per cent), aspirin (13 to 40 per cent), salicylamide (12 to 17 per cent), a 3:1 mixture of salicyl-salicylic acid plus aspirin (24 to 38 per cent), acetaminophen (5 to 9 per cent) and meclofenoxate (7 to 39 per cent). Appreciable extensions of maximum life span were also noted for these drugs. Diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, doxylamine, tripelennamine and colchicine also produced moderate extensions of median and maximum life span. Other drugs produced lesser, inconsistent, or insignificant results or shortened life span at one or more dosage levels.