Easter Island's 'secret of eternal youth'
Updated on 09 July 2009
A compound found in the soil of the remote Easter Island in the South Pacific could lead to an "elixir of life", according to scientists.
The anti-fungal agent rapamycin, produced by soil bacteria, is believed by scientists to have extraordinary life-extending properties which could result in genuine "anti-ageing" pill that keeps people young.
Rapamycin, first discovered in the 1970s in soil samples from the island, famous for its monoliths, is currently used as an immunosuppressor to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients.
But US researchers found it increased the life expectancy of ageing male mice by 28 per cent and female ones by 38 per cent. In human terms, this was equivalent to the extra lease of life expected if both cancer and heart disease were prevented or cured.
Dr Arlan Richardson, director of the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Ageing Studies in Texas, where much of the work was carried out, said: "I've been in ageing research for 35 years and there have been many so-called 'anti-ageing' interventions over those years that were never successful.
"I never thought we would find an anti-ageing pill for people in my lifetime; however, rapamycin shows a great deal of promise to do just that."
The mice were 20 months old - or 60 in human years - when given the compound which blocks activity of an enzyme called TOR which regulates cell metabolism, cell growth and protein manufacture in response to environmental cues.
But other experts warned that the immunosuppressive effects of rapamycin could be dangerous, and no-one should consider taking the drug to slow ageing.
Dr Lynne Cox, an expert on ageing at Oxford University, said: "This is a very exciting study where a single drug with a known cellular effect increases the life expectancy and lifespan of mice.
"It is especially interesting that the drug was effective even when given to older mice - equivalent to 60-year-old humans - as it would be much better to treat ageing in older people rather than using drugs long term through life.
"In no way should anyone consider using this particular drug to try to extend their own lifespan as rapamycin suppresses immunity. While the lab mice were protected from infection, that's simply impossible in the human population.
"What the study does is to highlight an important molecular pathway that new, more specific drugs might be designed to work on. Whether it's a sensible thing to try to increase lifespan this way is another matter: perhaps increasing health span rather than overall lifespan might be a better goal."
© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and Channel 4 is not responsible or liable to you for the same.
