Medicinal Plant-based Biologically Active Substances and Extracts Inhibit Intestinal Autofluorescence Accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Aging is a complex process related with the gradual diminution in cellular and physiological functions. The geroprotective effect of 10 biologically active substances (BAC – rutin, squalene, kaempferol, biohanin A, urosolic acid, chlorogenic acid, baicalin, mangiferin, quercetin and trans-cinnamic acid) and 5 crude extracts (Ginkgo biloba, Pulmonaria officinalis, Scutellaria baicalensis, Hedysarum neglectum and Panax ginseng) isolated from medicinal plants of Altai Region of Russia were evaluated for their influence on the accumulation of intestinal autofluorescence material (IAM) using Caenorhabditis elegans model. Gravid nematodes were synchronized, and then seeded in 96-well plates to develop to L4-stage. Each BAC in 200 µmol, 100 µmol, 50 µmol and 10 µmol concentrations and extracts with a tenth, hundredth and thousandth times-dilution were administered to each well in 6 replicates for each treatment group. On incubation days 1, 5, and 15, adult L4 nematodes underwent spectrofluorometric analysis to determine the effect of the BACs and extracts on IAM accumulation. It was found that quercetin, kaempferol, baicalin, mangiferin, Ginkgo biloba and Panax ginseng extracts exhibited the most profound inhibition of IAM accumulation compared to the control. Thus, they can be considered as important precursors or active ingredients for the pharmacosynthesis of geroprotective drugs in future research.