Anti-Aging Activity and Modes of Action of Compounds from Natural Food Sources

Abstract

Aging is a natural and inescapable phenomenon characterized by a progressive deterioration of physiological functions, leading to increased vulnerability to chronic diseases and death. With economic and medical development, the elderly population is gradually increasing, which poses a great burden to society, the economy and the medical field. Thus, healthy aging has now become a common aspiration among people over the world. Accumulating evidence indicates that substances that can mediate the deteriorated physiological processes are highly likely to have the potential to prolong lifespan and improve aging-associated diseases. Foods from natural sources are full of bioactive compounds, such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, carotenoids, sterols, terpenoids and vitamins. These bioactive compounds and their derivatives have been shown to be able to delay aging and/or improve aging-associated diseases, thereby prolonging lifespan, via regulation of various physiological processes. Here, we summarize the current understanding of the anti-aging activities of the compounds, polysaccharides, polyphenols, carotenoids, sterols, terpenoids and vitamins from natural food sources, and their modes of action in delaying aging and improving aging-associated diseases. This will certainly provide a reference for further research on the anti-aging effects of bioactive compounds from natural food sources.

NAD-Driven Sirtuin Activation by Cordyceps sinensis Extract: Exploring the Adaptogenic Potential to Promote Skin Longevity

“…In recent years, there has been growing interest in leveraging the principles of TCM and the therapeutic potential of natural bioactive molecules to address age-related disorders and promote healthy aging. Natural bioactive molecules, derived from plants, herbs, and other natural sources, possess diverse pharmacological properties that can modulate the cellular processes implicated in aging [4][5][6][7], such as oxidative stress [8,9], inflammation [10,11], and cellular senescence [12][13][14].…”

A Lombard Variety of Sweet Pepper Regulating Senescence and Proliferation: The Voghera Pepper

“…In recent years, more attention has been paid to various natural compounds such as carotenoids, tocopherols, and flavonoids, as well as vitamins (A, C, D, and E) due to their antioxidant properties and potentially beneficial biological activities for inhibiting or treating aging [ 10 , 11 ]. In particular, ascorbic acid is a natural molecule with confirmed antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties that have been known since the 1930s.…”

Anti-Aging Potential of Bioactive Phytoconstituents Found in Edible Medicinal Plants: A Review

“…Aging is an irreversible and unavoidable biological phenomenon that is characterized by the impairment of physiological functions, ultimately leading to the development of chronic diseases and the death of living organisms [1,2]. This intricate process involves various biochemical and genetic signaling pathways, including the mammalian target of rapamycin, insulin-like growth factor-1, factor forkhead box O-3, nuclear factor kappa B, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, and sirtuins, all of which play important roles in determining lifespan and the onset of age-related diseases [3,4].…”

“…Research studies have provided evidence that edible medicinal plants contain a variety of bioactive compounds that have the potential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, delay the aging process, and extend lifespans [2,12]. These plants serve as a rich and renewable source of bioactive phytochemicals, i.e., non-nutritive components that confer protective properties to plants.…”

“…Notably, conventional drugs used in the treatment of diseases, such as artemisinin and quinine for combating malaria, vinblastine for cancer therapy, morphine and codeine for use as opioid analgesics, and aspirin for use as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, are derived from various medicinal plants [13][14][15]. These phytochemicals can be classified into different groups, including polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, stilbenes, and tannins) [2,16], carotenoids (carotenes and xanthophylls) [17], phytosterols (sterols and stanols) [18], and terpenoids (monoterpenoids, diterpenoids, hemiterpenoids, triterpenoids, tetraterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, polyterpenoids, and sesterterpenoids) [2,19]. Through various mechanisms such as oxidative stress suppression, the regulation of age-related genes, immunomodulation, apoptosis regulation, autophagy regulation, cellular senescence suppression, and the regulation of mitochondrial function and biogenesis [2,3,7,12], these bioactive compounds exhibit anti-aging effects and contribute to lifespan extension.…”