Potential Antiaging Effects of DLBS1649, a Centella asiatica Bioactive Extract

Abstract

Purpose Centella asiatica is a traditional medicinal plant, especially for wound healing and as a neuroprotective agent. DLBS1649 is a bioactive extract from C. asiatica , and was studied to investigate its benefits as an antiaging agent. Methods DLBS1649 was administered to HEK293 and 3T3L1 mammalian cells cultured in a time- or dose-dependent manner. Telomere length analysis was performed. TERT , CMYC , SIRT1 , SIRT2 , and KL expression were observed using reverse-transcription qPCR. Telomerase protein was studied with ELISA, while calorie restriction was observed using Oil Red O. In vivo study was conducted using Drosophila melanogaster with restricted mean survival time as the statistical method of analysis. Results DLBS1649 50 µg/mL showed an effect in the prevention of telomere shortening by 50% and decrease in telomerase activity by 28% compared to the controls (70% and 40%, respectively) in the HEK293 cell cultures. TERT -, CMYC-, SIRT1 -, SIRT2 -, and KL -expression degression was also reduced (29%, 9%, 18%, 25%, 9%, and 30%, respectively) compared to the controls (46%, 40%, 56%, 44%, and 46%, respectively) after ten serial passages. Calorie-restriction activity from DLBS1649 50 µg/mL was seen, with lower fat droplet counts being detected in the treated samples (37%) than the controls (28%) in 3T3L1 cells. DLBS1649 2 mg/mL increased restricted mean survival time in male and female D. melanogaster (23.87% [ p <0.05] and 12.58%, respectively). Conclusion The results revealed DLBS1649’s potential as an antiaging agent based on telomere-length preservation, decreased expression of aging-related genes, increased calorie restriction in vitro, and mortality reduction in D. melanogaster in vivo.

Efficacy of a dietary supplement derived from five edible plants on telomere length in Thai adults: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial

“…An in vitro study showed that the 08AGTL formulation from pennywort extract could trigger a 9‐fold increase in telomerase activity compared to the untreated human PBMC (Tsoukalas et al., 2019 ). Another study reported that the DLBS1649 formulation from pennywort extract could repress telomere shortening by 25% relative to the untreated age human kidney cell line (HEK293 cells) by repressing the decrease in telomerase protein expression by 18% relative to the untreated age HEK293 cells (Karsono et al., 2021 ). Recently, C. asiatica leaf (CA) extract and its bioactive compound, madecassoside (MD), were demonstrated to activate telomerase in human colonic organoids after 1 week of treatment.…”

“…A bioactive extract from pennywort leaves prevented telomere shortening and repressing the decrease of telomerase protein expression compared to the controls in the HEK293 cell cultures. Administration of this bioactive extract increased survival rate of D. melanogaster (Karsono et al., 2021 ). The leaf extract improved cognitive functions through increasing antioxidant gene expression in mouse brain (Gray et al., 2016 ).…”