Abstract
Orange, with various bioactive phytochemicals, exerts various beneficial health effects, including anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its anti-aging effects remain unclear. In this study, the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model was used to evaluate the effects of orange extracts on lifespan and stress resistance. The results indicated that orange extracts dose-dependently increased the mean lifespan of C. elegans by 10.5%, 18.0%, and 26.2% at the concentrations of 100, 200, and 400 mg/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, orange extracts promoted the healthspan by improving motility, and decreasing the accumulation of age pigment and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels without damaging fertility. The survival rates of orange extract-fed worms were obviously higher than those of untreated worms against thermal and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) stress. Moreover, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were significantly enhanced while malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were diminished. Further investigation revealed that worms supplemented with orange extracts resulted in upregulated levels of genes, including daf-16, sod-3, gst-4, sek-1, and skn-1, and the downregulation of age-1 expression. These findings revealed that orange extracts have potential anti-aging effects through extending the lifespan, enhancing stress resistance, and promoting the healthspan.
Highlights
The aging process is accompanied by a progressive decline of physiological integrity, eventually leading to increased sensitivity to stress and impaired function
The results illustrated that worms treated with different concentrations of the sample showed right-shifted survival curves, especially the 400 mg/mL orange extract treatment group
The results indicated that supplementation with orange extracts inhibited intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in wild-type nematodes in a dose-dependent manner
Summary
The aging process is accompanied by a progressive decline of physiological integrity, eventually leading to increased sensitivity to stress and impaired function. The nonparasitic nematode C. elegans, a simple and useful in vivo model, has been widely used for screening bioactive compounds for the anti-aging effect [4]. The changes of behavior and physiological indicators of healthspan, such as the deterioration of muscle, resistance to environment stress, and degeneration of the nervous system, are in a similar manner to those of humans [8]. These features make C. elegans an ideal model to clarify the anti-aging effect of bioactive compounds on the healthspan and lifespan
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