Effects of chalcone on oxidatively stressed Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Chalcones (1, 3‐diaryl‐2‐propene‐1‐ones) are natural compounds extracted from fruits and vegetables. Structural and in vitro studies of chalcones have shown they have a large range of biological activities. Previously we have shown that a trihydroxychalcone showed marked antioxidant activity using UV‐vis assays with DPPH, a stable free radical. Additionally, when two oxidatively stressed cell lines, L‐6 myoblasts and THP‐1 monocytes, were treated with chalcone, strong antioxidant activity was seen at nanomolar concentrations, making it an extremely effective free radical scavenger. We now describe the potency of the antioxidant chalcone on mitigating the harmful effects of ROS (reactive oxygen species) in vivo using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. The organisms are treated with UV light and paraquat (an intracellular superoxide radical generator) to mimic oxidative stress and then examine if the chalcones’ ability to scavenge the free radicals influences lifespan extension by systematic counting of specimens and evaluation of their behavior under the microscope. If these studies are promising, we will then examine whether chalcone increases thermal tolerance in C. elegans. Finally, we hope to identify genes through multiple genotypes of C. elegans in order to target genes that mediate lifespan and are up‐regulated as a result of chalcone treatment.