epithalamin increases lifespan in animals

Doug Skrecky (oberon@vcn.bc.ca)
Fri, 11 Dec 1998 11:52:45 -0800 (PST)

Authors
Anisimov VN. Mylnikov SV. Khavinson VK. Institution
Laboratory of Experimental Tumors, N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Title
Pineal peptide preparation epithalamin increases the lifespan of fruit flies, mice and rats.
Source
Mechanisms of Ageing & Development. 103(2):123-32, 1998 Jun 15. Abstract
Treatment with pineal peptide preparation epithalamin was followed by the increase of the mean lifespan of female D. melanogaster, SHR mice, C3H/Sn mice and LIO rats by 11-31% (P < 0.05). Ninety percent mortality as well as maximum lifespan were increased in fruit flies, C3H/Sn mice and rats. Mortality rate was decreased by 52% in D. melanogaster, by 52% in rats, by 27% in C3H/Sn mice. It did not change in SHR mice exposed to epithalamin. Treatment with the pineal peptide increased MRDT in flies, C3H/Sn mice and rats. It has been shown that epithalamin increased synthesis and secretion of melatonin in rats and inhibits free radical processes in rats and in D. melanogaster. It is suggested that antioxidative properties of epithalamin lead to increased lifespan of three different animal species.