Is ibuprofen able to prolong life?
Researchers at the Buck Institute for the Study of Aging and Texas A&M University have demonstrated that regular doses of ibuprofen – a widely used analgesic and antipyretic drug – increase the life expectancy of baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, roundworms Caenorhabditis elegans and fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster by an average of 15%.
Figure from the article in PLOS Genetics: A – yeast, B – nematodes, C and D – fruit flies (males and females)
Ibuprofen belongs to the class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It was first synthesized in the early 1960s in the UK. Initially, ibuprofen was prescribed by a doctor, but in the 1980s it appeared on free sale around the world and gained great popularity. The World Health Organization has included ibuprofen in its "List of essential medicines" necessary for the functioning of the health system at a basic level. Despite its widespread use and relative safety, ibuprofen can cause undesirable side effects, most often manifested by disorders of the digestive tract and liver when using high doses of the drug.
At the first stage of the study, scientists found that ibuprofen increases the lifespan of baker's yeast. Moreover, experiments have shown that it disrupts the ability of cells to absorb tryptophan, an amino acid that is part of all cells of all living organisms, including humans.
Further studies have shown the ability of ibuprofen to prolong the life of nematodes and fruit flies. At the same time, the roundworms also increased the so-called healthy life expectancy.
The authors note that they do not understand the mechanisms of action of ibuprofen, but the results obtained are "proof of principle". They indicate that widely used relatively safe drugs for humans can increase the life expectancy of organisms that differ greatly from each other. This indicates the possibility of detecting other drugs similar to ibuprofen that have the ability to prolong human life.
Article by Chong He et al. Enhanced Longevity by Ibuprofen, Conserved in Multiple Species, Occurs in Yeast through Inhibition of Tryptophan Import published in the journal PLOS Genetics.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging:
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22.12.2014