Six previously identified plant extracts can delay aging by affecting different signaling pathways that set the pace of growing old, researchers from Concordia University and Idunn Technologies have found, in a study recently published (open-access) in Oncotarget. Using yeast — a favored cellular aging model — Vladimir Titorenko, a biology professor and the study’s senior author, and his colleagues conducted a screen of a library of 35 different plant extracts (PEs) to determine those that can extend yeast chronological lifespan. To do that, they monitored how the information flowing through signaling pathways was affected. They identified six aging-delaying plant extracts: Cimicifuga racemosa, Valeriana officinalis L., Passiflora incarnata L., Ginkgo biloba, Apium graveolens L., and “particularly effective”: Salix alba, commonly known as white willow bark. At a cellular level, aging progresses similarly in yeast and humans. In both, the pace of aging is defined by a distinct set of chemical reactions arranged into several “signaling pathways” that regulate the rate of aging in a wide range of organisms.
“It’s known that some of these signaling pathways delay aging if activated in response to certain nutrients or hormones,” Titorenko says. “These pathways are called ‘anti-aging’ or ‘pro-longevity’ pathways. Other signaling pathways speed up aging if activated in response to certain other nutrients or hormones. These pathways are called ’pro-aging’ or ‘pro-death’ pathways.” Each of the six aging-delaying plant extracts targets a different anti-aging or pro-aging signaling pathway. The study revealed several features of the six plant extracts as potential tools in decelerating chronic symptoms and diseases of old age: Health Canada classifies the six plant extracts as safe for human consumption, and recommends five of them as health-improving supplements with clinically proven benefits. The study was supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies.
UPDATE Sept. 19, 2016: the six aging-delaying plant extracts’ names added. Our recent study has revealed six plant extracts that slow yeast chronological aging more efficiently than any chemical compound yet described. The rate of aging in yeast is controlled by an evolutionarily conserved network of integrated signaling pathways and protein kinases. Here, we assessed how single-gene-deletion mutations eliminating each of these pathways and kinases affect the aging-delaying efficiencies of the six plant extracts. Our findings imply that these extracts slow aging in the following ways: 1) plant extract 4 decreases the efficiency with which the pro-aging TORC1 pathway inhibits the anti-aging SNF1 pathway; 2) plant extract 5 mitigates two different branches of the pro-aging PKA pathway; 3) plant extract 6 coordinates processes that are not assimilated into the network of presently known signaling pathways/protein kinases; 4) plant extract 8 diminishes the inhibitory action of PKA on SNF1;
5) plant extract 12 intensifies the anti-aging protein kinase Rim15; and 6) plant extract 21 inhibits a form of the pro-aging protein kinase Sch9 that is activated by the pro-aging PKH1/2 pathway. Vicky Lutchman, Pamela Dakik, Mélissa McAuley, Berly Cortes, George Ferraye, Leonid Gontmacher, David Graziano, Fatima-Zohra Moukhariq, Éric Simard, Vladimir I. Titorenko. Six plant extracts delay yeast chronological aging through different signaling pathways. DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10689 (open access)We’ve talked quite a bit about drug-free, natural ways to manage anxiety and panic attacks on this blog. Our advice is always to treat the problem holistically – consider the food you eat, the exercise you get (or don’t get), and the way you live your life. But even if you’re doing everything right, we understand that sometimes it’s not enough. Many turn to prescription drugs to provide the extra support they need, but we believe that there’s often a safer, better choice.
Natural, herbal anxiety supplements, based on ancient medicinal knowledge, can be invaluable in offering that extra support. Here we’ll highlight some of the best herbs for anxiety and panic attacks. If you’ve been to the doctor to address anxiety or panic, chances are that you were prescribed – or at least pitched — antidepressants (SSRIs) or a class of sedative drugs called benzodiazepines. While both can be effective options, they aren’t without serious drawbacks, including dependence/addiction, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and a range of health and cognitive complications. And even if you find the side effects unpleasant enough to quit taking a benzodiazepine or SSRI, you cannot stop taking them without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Even if you don’t become psychologically addicted to these drugs, your body will become dependent. But there are a number of herbs for anxiety that provide real relief, largely without harsh side effects or risk of addiction. Ashwagandha is a popular herb in Ayurvedic medicine that is known to protect the nervous system and relieve anxiety.
Studies have confirmed not only its anxiety-fighting properties, but also that it is a powerful immune-system booster that may even have anti-aging effects. Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri), native to India, is another herb that has been used in Ayurveda for hundreds of years to treat anxiety and cognitive function. Brahmi improves impulse transmission between nerve cells in the brain, and studies that have shown that it raises IQ and improves concentration. Brahmi also increases serotonin levels in the brain, leading to relaxation and reduced anxiety. Ginkgo Biloba gained popularity for its memory-enhancement benefits in the elderly, but its uses are many and varied. Research has suggested that it may be a great herb for anxiety as well, with patients given gingko seeing roughly the same benefit as the group given benzodiazepines in one study. For thousands of years in China, India and Indonesia, the herb gotu kola has been used to treat a number of conditions. Its uses run the gamut from skin problems, epilepsy, fever and even syphilis.
A class of chemicals found in gotu kola known as triterpenoids are thought to possibly have anxiety-reducing properties. L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea that has been proven to reduce anxiety and improve mood. Like most herbs for anxiety, our ancestors understood L-theanine’s benefits long before modern science was able to back it up – Buddhist monks have credited green tea for their ability to sit calmly for hours of meditation. Passionflower is an herb native to the Southern United States that has been used for centuries as asafe and gentle sedative. Passionflower is one of the herbs for anxiety that has been shown to have effects comparable to benzodiazepines. It works by increasing levels of the neurotransmitter GABA, which produces a calming effect in the brain. Passionflower is considered milder than some of the other well-known anti-anxiety herbs, and is safe to use in combination with a number of different herbal anxiety remedies. Valerian root hails from the same botanical family as chamomile, another anti-anxiety herb, and is native to many regions of the world.